The Swan Queen Fix
by Chochos
Summary: <html><head></head>A collection of one shots fixing up what you see on your TV... The Swan Queen Way (TM).</html>
1. Chapter 1

**SQ Fix 1**

**Notes**

Also know as _You've been Swenned _(in a _Be Kind Rewind Sweding Kind of Way_)

Because, Hook trying to hack at the barrier with his portable ice pick, really? _Amateurs_.

* * *

><p>The phone kept ringing on her nightstand. She was so fed up with it that this time she actually picked it up, her fury on the rise when <em>Idiot n#2<em> flashed on her screen.

"Charming, if you are calling on Emma's behalf, I order you to stop, or so help me I'll—"

The blonde prince interrupted her. "**I am** calling on her behalf, Regina. She's about to freeze to death!"

"Where are you." Came the instant reply, the irritated tone previously found on the woman's voice thoroughly replaced by an all-business one.

"At the town line. There's an ice barrier and she and Elsa got trapped ins—"

A swirl of purple smoke appeared from thin air, the former Mayor standing right before him.

"Who erected this barrier?" She asked.

Charming pocketed his phone, still a little dumbfounded.

"Elsa herself. She is a magic user currently looking for her sister, and apparently she can't control her powers all that well without said sister present." He explained.

Regina's line of sight fell on Hook desperately scratching at the frozen wall.

"Tell _Handless Wonder_ to get down."

Without further ado and before Charming could alert the pirate, the sorceress conjured a fire ball that pierced through the ice, barely missing the man.

"Hey! That could've killed me!" He shouted.

Regina simply ignored him and entered the frozen fortress. She approached Emma, lying on her back on the floor, with Elsa anxiously waiting by her side.

"I can't hear her breathing anymore!" She cried.

"Get away from her **now** if you value your life. I won't repeat myself." The brunette warned her, kneeling next to the now blue Savior.

The boys had entered the make-shift ice cave by then, and when Hook tentatively tried to get closer to Emma, Charming held him back. "Wait. Regina knows what she's doing." He assuaged him. Hook seemed uncomfortable, but stood still as he watched the former queen gather Emma in her arms.

"Seriously, Emma, I retreat for one day and you get yourself nearly killed. What am I going to do with you?" Regina spoke softly to the knocked-out blonde, one hand over her forehead and the other across her abdomen, holding her whole body against herself. Light magic surged at the tip of her fingers, diving into Emma and warming her from the inside out. Elsa watched in awe as the Sheriff opened her eyes and a sigh left her lips upon seeing Regina.

"You called me Emma." She whispered, the color returning to her cheeks.

"A slip of the tongue." The brunette smiled sweetly. "How are you feeling, dear?" She inquired, concern evident in her features.

Emma gave her a lopsided smile. "Warmer by the minute".

"Good." Regina pulled Emma up a little bit, so that the blonde's head could rest in her chest, her hand leaving her forehead in order to seize her by the shoulder. The former mayor rested her chin at the top of Emma's crown, who nuzzled her oh so slightly.

Neither women seemed aware that they were enveloped in a blueish-purplish glow; but Elsa's eyes widened at the sight.

"Oh, Emma, your magic! It's working! You're calm now, right? She calmed you! Is she your sister? I'm really glad to meet you, Emma's sister!" Elsa looked elated.

Emma blushed profusely. "She's not my sister!" She hurried herself to explain. "She's my... my..." The blonde looked at a loss for words. "My son's other mother." She finished.

"Oh! Oooh..." Elsa smiled. "I get it know. She's your true love! Oh, silly ol' me, of course she is. I can practically feel the love spiraling around you two. Way to go, Emma!" She patted the Sheriff on the arm.

Emma couldn't utter a sound. Regina feared she was going into shock so she decided to step in. "We are not lovers. We just share a son. I suppose it **is** complicated." She admitted, awarding Emma a sideways glance while she unconsciously drew soothing circles on her abdomen. The blonde released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding until then.

Meanwhile a couple of feet away, Charming stood ... _frozen_ in place, unsure of what he had just witnessed. Regina had saved Emma, sure, but... since when did the two of them become... so cozy around each other? Killian, in turn, chose that moment to spring into action, scooting Emma up from Regina's arms. The Savior felt the loss straightaway, but before she could protest, Regina rose and took charge again. "Take her to her apartment and keep her warm and safe." She aimed a final, softer gaze at Emma. "Don't go around doing stupid things. Henry will worry."

The blonde tried to reach for her. "Regina, wait —!" But there was no use.

The sorceress was gone.

Henry had left the mansion after the earnest heart-to-heart they'd had that evening; that is why, when she heard a knock at the door just mere moments after her son had walked through it, she figured he had left something behind.

"Did you forget something, darling?" she stopped on her path to the foyer as she noticed it wasn't Henry, but his biological mother at her door.

"Yes. I didn't get a chance to properly thank you yesterday." The blonde answered, seizing the term of endearment as if it had been addressed to her. "For saving my life yet again."

Regina glared at her and turned on her heels. "You are welcome. Close the door on your way out."

She heard the door close, all right, followed by a set of heavy footsteps hot on her trail.

"I also came to apologize for meddling in your love life. Yet again." The blonde insisted.

Regina rolled her eyes into her skull. « Fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, Miss Swan, it's late and I— »

Emma was in her personal space in the blink of an eye. « It's _not_. » she confronted her. « It's not fine if you keep calling me _Miss Swan_. » The Sheriff remembered the harsh _Swan!_ thrown her way the day before yesterday that left her as bitter as the 85% cacao chocolate Regina had insisted on her trying a couple of weeks ago. When they still were… civil. She shook her head to clear the memory away.

The brunette's eyes steeled at her. « Would you rather have me call you _darling_ after the way you betrayed me? » she spat. « Frankly, _Miss Swan_… » she tried retreating but Emma kept pushing.

« I didn't betray you. I never intended to hurt you. » she pleaded.

« Debatably at best. » the sorceress replied, unfazed.

Emma felt despair creeping in. « You know I mean it. 'Gina, please. I… »

That seemed to push the brunette's buttons, as she got on Emma's face in a flash.

« Don't you '_'Gina_' me! Don't you dare! After all we've been through, just when I'd begun to trust you, you go around and stab me in the back just like everyone I've ever cared about in my life has! » Emma's eyes widened at the sudden outburst, terrified to realize the other woman's eyes were welled up in tears. « You're just like the lot of them! You're— »

The blonde took a quick step forward and hugged the former queen fiercely, by all accounts trying to contain her meltdown, chanting _I'm sorry, you're right, I didn't mean it, I'm not like everyone else, I do care, I do I do I do, don't shut me out, I trust you, I care, I'm here, I'm not leaving, I'm here_, over and over again, as Regina went through shock, bodily resistance, more shock, more tears, a couple of _Let me go!-_s and _I swear if you don't release me I'll **end** you-_s, and a couple of failed punches and enchantments, until, finally and utterly spent, she collapsed in Emma's arms and let herself be held by the princess.

Infinity came and went in an embrace that just wouldn't end, until an undetermined amount of time later Regina uttered _I _**_will_**_ end you when I recover_ and Emma murmured back through a content smile, _I'll be looking forward to it_.


	2. Chapter 2

**SQ Fix 2**

_You've been Swenned_

**4x03 Added Scene**

All day long, Regina's words had echoed inside her head. _It seems like The Savior needs saving these days._ She knew she shouldn't mind. But she did. She did and it was driving her up the walls and tripping her over floors. And she had tried clearing her head, but to no avail. While talking with her father, chasing after the shady Snow Queen, kissing Hook after a heartfelt admittance; Regina's words, Regina's face, Regina's eyes, bore into her.

She had to shake her off. She fully intended to sleep that night.

"Regina!" The blonde yelled, opening the Mayor's Office doors. The brunette, seated next to a frozen Marian, stood up, startled.

"This might not be my administration anymore, but that is in no way the proper manner to enter a public building." Regina crossed her arms in front of her, adopting a 'judging you' attitude.

Emma couldn't care less.

"Listen to me. I came back to tell you that yes, I may have made a few mistakes and yes, I may have needed assistance to get out of a few impasses, but that doesn't diminish my _Savior material_ in any way. And if you think otherwise, well, bad luck, sister, 'cause I don't care. So that's that. G'bye." The princess turned on her heels, heading for the door, not even considering letting the other woman reply to her rant.

Not that she could stop her, though.

"You seem awfuly disturbed", began the former queen, a wicked smirk plastered on her face that Emma could feel piercing through her spine, "for someone who so vehemently states _not_ to care." Emma turned around, anger taking hold of her pretty features. "Easy, Miss Swan, or one would be inclined to suggest that you put a great value in what I think about you." Regina leaned on her former desk, highly satisfied with this new piece of intel she had just siphoned out of her son's biological mother.

Emma sighed and gave up. "I dunno why." She acquiesced.

Regina lifted a perfectly sculptured eyebrow. "You don't know what, Miss Swan?"

The blonde steadied herself and straightened her shoulders before answering. "I don't know why I care about what you think. And frankly, I think I don't _want_ to know." She confessed.

Regina furrowed her brow, slightly taken aback, but without any intentions to reveal it.

"At least it's a mutual feeling, I guess". The blonde ventured.

The brunette was then fully taken aback and totally going to show it. "A mutual fee-...? What on earth are you implying by that? The cold clearly did a number on your brain."

Emma snorted and lifted her jaw. "Come on. Your remark was a dig at my... Saviory-ness... but it also was an expression of concern for my well-being."

The former mayor remained stoic. "Henry would suffer if any harm came your way. Think about that before embarking on perilous quests without the proper backup."

The Sheriff gave her a crooked smile. "So what you're saying is you care only about Henry, but not about me, right?"

If looks could kill, she would've dropped dead on the spot.

"Stop trying to corner me into a yes/no reply." The brunette ceased her looking at Emma and glanced at the horizon through an open window instead.

"You haven't answered the question." Emma's tone was light and playful. Regina hated that she didn't hate it. She rolled her eyes back into her skull and exhaled before admitting in a defeated whisper, _It's not just about Henry._ The Princess was in her personal space in seconds, grabbing her by the elbow, a gesture that over time had become _theirs_. "I wanted **you** to be my backup. I feel like you've been mad at me for ages." It had been a couple of weeks at most, but still. "Are we ever going to make up?" she dared ask, her voice low and tentative.

"Emma..." The blonde had backed her up against the desk and they were way too close for appropriate standards and she could smell her shampoo and see the specks of brown in her green eyes and that last sentence had practically been begged right in her ear and when, in all the realms, _when_ had they become so intimate with each other? Why hadn't she stopped it? Why did Emma believe she could hold her like that? Why didn't she mind? Not only didn't she mind... why was she enjoying the warm closeness of the Savior by her side?

There were too many questions for her own good. Nevertheless, she lost her train of thought when the princess murmured _You called me Emma_ and her face lit up at the words. Next thing she knew a cellphone was buzzing and the blonde removed herself from her personal space just by a step to check her device, and she reprimanded herself for mourning the loss of contact. But then Emma's face contorted in silent outrage and the energy around them changed completely.

"I have to go." Gone was the warmth of her voice as the so-called Savior sprinted to the door.

"Wait." Regina could master the elbow-grab, too. "You look pale. What happened?"

"Nothing." Emma had reverted to her teenage ways and kept trying to disentangle herself from the brunette's hold. "Would you release me? Gotta go."

"Emma. Show me your phone." Regina wasn't having any of it.

"No." She clenched her jaw in defiance.

"Emma." She warned.

"No. You'll have to make me." In her defense, the blonde seriously thought Regina would let her go if she kept being obnoxious. She didn't expect an _Okay_ and then a puff of smoke that took her cell right out of her hands and into the brunette's. "HEY!" She tried to recover it, but Regina an her arm next to her collarbone in order to keep her away. A message popped up on the screen.

From: TheKid

To:

Ma, Robin still loves Mom. He believes that's why TLK didn't work 'n told hr so. Mom took Marian's heart out as a last-minute measure, but we'r in a pickle here. We need an Operation UnFreeze.

"My little and cunning Henry." Regina couldn't decide if she was mad at him for listening in in other people's conversations or proud of him for following clues like a hound. Probably a mixture of both. She let go of Emma's chest. "Why are you so mad?"

The Sheriff seemed to explode. "What do you mean 'why are you so mad'? His wife is frozen next to him and the guy just blurts out his love for you? What-a-_douche_!"

Regina's stare became liquid metal. "Why, for falling for the Evil Queen, you mean?"

Emma's eyes bulged out of her sockets. "Of course not! It's the other way around. He's not good enough for you and you just **don't** see it. Unbelievable!" she fumed.

Regina looked stunned for a second before she could brew a reply. "I also think Handless Wonder is not good enough for you, but you don't see me throwing a jealous fit about it." She striked back, as she was suddenly feeling attacked by the princess.

"Well, at least he's not, you know, _married_, and a two-timing _loser_."

Regina surveyed her in awe. "You didn't deny it."

"What?!"

"The jealous bit."

Emma gulped audibly, stricken, and then got a grip and stomped her feet like a two-year old. "You just don't get anything, do you? This is... I don't know why I came here. See ya."

Regina was left glued to her former desk, unable to follow after Emma or scream at her or do anything but stand in shock. Her mind was reeling. Emma was jealous? Of Robin? Words from their discussion kept rearing up in her head. _At least it's a mutual feeling_. _Are we ever going to make up?__He's not good enough for you._ It made _no_ sense. Emma had the pirate, didn't she? Granted, he was an imbecile, but even so, Emma liked _him_, right? _I wanted you to be my backup_. Her heart picked up an arrythmia and she felt a warmth take hold of her chest and flush her cheeks. For the love of all that is holy. When had all this happened?

* * *

><p>In her Bug, driving over the speed limit towards the Sheriff station, Emma's heart sagged. She had thrown a fit and blown it.<p>

They still hadn't made up.


	3. Chapter 3

**SQ Fix 3**

_You've been Swenned!_

**4x04 edited/added scene**

Henry descended the secret staircase to her mother's vault with his backpack fully loaded. Regina awaited him inside, intensely focused on reading amidst a sea of books.

"Mom, you _have_ to clean up this place. Seriously." He mockingly admonished her. The woman lifted her gaze from the volume she had in her hands to look at him, eyes brimming with love for her Little Prince as per usual. "I brought everything you asked me to." he continued, eagerly opening his backpack to show her his haul and announcing each item separately as he put them on a table.

"Easy there, Henry. You wouldn't want to spend your teenage years as a toad." She sweetly warned him.

"It wouldn't be so bad if a cute princess came to my rescue with a True Love Kiss." A roguish smirk formed in his lips.

Regina caught both his cheeks between her hands.

"Why are you talking about other women? You were five years old not so long ago." She squeezed his face as she spoke.

"_Mom!_"

" Don't _Mom_ me. There can't be other women in your life yet. Just..." she hesitated. "Emma and I." Her gaze left his eyes and traveled elsewhere.

"This is _so_ incredibly unfair." The kid had a penchant for adolescent angst, just like that biological mother of his. "Mom... if the discussion about my future love life, or lack thereof, is over, do you think any of this stuff will help us bring Marian back? Why didn't True Love's Kiss work? It's because Robin is in love with you now, isn't it? That is _also_ incredibly unfair." He pointed out.

"Honey," she caressed his hair, " those are complicated matters that you shouldn't be worrying about."

"But, Mom, everyone deserves a chance at love." He spoke passionately. "Even Ma finally gave up to Hook's puppy dog insistence and went out on a date with him. Look," he picked his phone from the back pocket of his pants, "GranMa even took a picture." He light up the screen and sure, there was Emma on a soft pink dress with her hair pulled up in a ponytail and sporting sensible shoes and she looked younger, much younger than her leather-clad, full of attitude self. She also had a fifties air about her whole attire. "What do you think?" He inquired.

Regina felt her heart tighten inside her chest. "Your mother is a beautiful woman, Henry", she relented after a few seconds of seemingly being at a loss for words; and the boy noticed again that there was a tint of sadness to her voice, ever present since the time-travel gist. He assumed it had to be about Robin, although he had picked up that whenever he mentioned his Ma, the sadness would seep into his Mom's words.

"Yeah, of course she is pretty, but I didn't mean to ask you that. What I meant was, even Ma, who keeps almost everyone at an arm's length, is on the path to finding love. Why can't you? This isn't fair. We _have_ to find that sneaky writer." He concluded on a determinate note.

Regina caressed his hair again and looked at him lovingly, all she could do short of telling him she had always thought of _him_ has her happy ending.

* * *

><p>It was midmorning at Granny's and Emma had just had a run-in with the Snow Queen. She needed a hot cocoa and a bearclaw, stat. She also needed a bathroom, so she helped herself to the toilets in the back before approaching the counter. It was just her luck that upon returning, a certain brunette was there, seated next to the only empty stall, sipping a coffee and reading the Mirror.<p>

They had been avoiding each other lately. Emma was still feeling guilty and, also, kinda hurt at Regina for holding a grudge for what seemed like ages. _And for having a two-timing scoundrel in tights for a soulmate_, her brain felt free to add. She opted to ignore it, as she had been trying to ignore the constant thoughts of her son's other mother popping up in her mind time and time again. At any rate, she wanted her bearclaw and she was going to have it. Sexy brunette back in her mayoral attire or not. _Shut it, brain._

"Hi Rubes." She took hold of the remaining stall, purposefully neglecting the neighboring customer.

"Hi Em." Ruby always greeted her with her biggest smile. "The usual?"

"Yup. Need to warm up." She then proceeded to explain what had transpired, as Ruby listened intently and Regina kept reading her paper. Not that she was shooting glances at her sporadically. Nope. Not at all.

Ruby disappeared into the kitchen and left the two women alone. Well, as alone as one could be in a crowded diner full of people; but to Emma the room felt suddenly small and quiet. Her mind began to wonder. Should she say something? Regina was clearly overlooking her too. And she was tired of apologizing. Why should she be the bigger person and cave and—?

"Hey." _Damn you, brain._

Regina lifted her eyes from the suddenly fascinating article about cow milking technology that had instantly caught her attention as soon as Emma had grabbed a seat next to her. "Good morning, Miss Swan."

They were still at the _Miss Swan_ phase. Better than plain old _Swan_, but worse than the hopeful _Emma_ they had achieved not so long ago. Alas, she didn't care. She had decided to stop caring. Therefore she didn't care anymore.

Emma was at a loss for small talk. She rejected the idea of talking about the weather or about... _the cow milking industry_ - she glanced at Regina's article - and opted to rather comment on one of her favorite subjects. "I see you're back in your usual clothes today." She ogled her silky burgundy blouse and over the knee black skirt. Then her brain caught up and stopped staring to start rambling instead. By 'favorite', she didn't mean Regina, she meant her clothes. Wait. That wasn't right either. What? She needed her cocoa. Where was Ruby?

Regina suppressed a tiny smile that Emma noticed anyway. Not because she kept staring at her. She didn't _do_ that. "It would seem that I'm not the only one." The blonde lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Red is more becoming on you than pink." Emma's cheeks flared up in understanding. "Not that it matters, though, considering you only wear the color in hideous leather apparel."

She knew Regina knew about her date. Henry had mentioned it in passing earlier that morning. She even had started to panic a little bit - _why?_ - until she reminded herself that she didn't owe any explanations to the brunette and that, _newsflash_, she didn't care. She didn't, she didn't, she didn't.

"Hey, I can rock any outfit." When had she decided to start speaking? "Like the _beautiful woman_ you and I both know I am." Oh, she needed to learn to shut up. Henry had mentioned her mother's observation as an off-handed remark, but Emma had hung to it like an oasis in the desert that currently was her relationship with Regina. She tried not to; she reminded herself she didn't care; yet here she was, not so casually bringing it up. _Damn_.

Regina smirked, not taking the bait. "I never advocated to the contrary. Although those gruesome jackets don't do you any favors. " Then she added, losing the playfulness in her tone, "I would appreciate if you kept Henry out of whatever problems we may have. It is not right to mine him for information."

Emma was appalled at the accusation. "I didn't **mine** him for anything! He just commented on it. Of his own volition."

"Fine." Regina rolled her eyes at the indignation on the blonde's face. "I forgot you tend to cling to every word I say."

The Sheriff's annoyance grew. "I do **not**—" But the thing was, maybe she did. Ever since she was on the doghouse with Regina, she did remember every sentence of every brief encounter they shared. She sighed, defeated. "Ok, you know what? Whatever. I am tired of you being a bitch to me nearly all the time now, I am tired of you keeping me away, I am tired of apologizing, and I am tired of us fighting." Regina regarded her with a steely gaze but Emma kept her rant going. " You sure won't forgive me, considering you hold grudges for, like, decades, and I won't ask forgiveness for saving someone's life. I thought we had a good thing going here, that we were growing to be, I dunno, friends or whatever, but you obviously don't care anymore for anyone who isn't a blonde thief" - _Wait. I'm a blonde thief! Or I was._ - "in _tights_, so, you know, fine, I'll stop caring too and keep out of your hair from now on." The princess felt like she had swallowed metal when she finished talking; she had to get away from Regina. She made a motion to stand up but she was met with resistance; the former mayor held her from her elbow and forced her to remain seated.

"Do you think you can unload all that crap on me and then simply take up and leave? Think again, Miss Swan. I endured all of your nonsense so now you are going to listen to _me_. First of all, I'll kindly let you know that you are an **idiot** if you think this is about Marian. This is about **you**", she pressed her index finger hard into her breastbone, "and **me**. About how you _betrayed_ me, and deprived me of my chance of happiness, just like your mother did all those year ago. I absolutely _adored_ Snow at the time and trusted her with the safety of the most important person in my life back then; terrible mistake. " Emma's heart skipped a beat. What was she saying? Did Regina adore her too? " And now you, Emma. I have trusted you to keep Henry safe and content; I gave up _the thing I love most_ to you, because I had faith in you. But now you've betrayed me, first by trying to take Henry away", the blonde flinched visibly, "and now by taking the possibility of a happy ending with my soulmate away. "

"Regina, I—"

"I am **not** finished." The former queen berated her. "You have stabbed me in the back and you expect me to forgive you immediately. And when I fail to do so, you take on a victim stance and insult me, as your affirmation that I only care about Robin is pure slander; you _know_ I care about Henry more than about anyone else in the world, you also know that, against my best judgement, I still care about your mother and of course I also care about you, you big **idiot**, if I did not I would not be telling you all this, you would not get under my skin like this, we would not be screaming at each other in a diner in the middle of Maine like we currently are. " Yes, they had raised the volume as the discussion became more and more raw. "Do you think I _enjoy_ keeping you away? Do you think I do not miss the amiable companionship we had developped after working together to save our son? Do you think I do not _want_ to forgive you?" Her brow was furrowed in disbelief and Emma was looking paler by the minute. "Everytime I look at you I feel like you are going to hurt me again. And I cannot even blame you for that, considering all the damage _I_ caused you. So we are at a standpoint, Miss Swan, where I feel like I cannot do anything. Nor forgive you nor not-forgive you." Her eyes watered and Emma felt like she was going to die of cardiac arrest right then and there. "So, please, keep your ultimatum speeches to yourself. It is the last thing I need right now." She stood up and pulled a bill from her purse. "Keep the change, Miss Lucas." And with that, she walked out of Granny's, leaving a startled Sheriff behind, mouth agape.

What had just happened? _Did, did Regina say all those things? Did she imagine them? Care? Trust? Hurt? How on earth_—

"Oh my God, Emma, get off your ass and follow her!" Ruby couldn't take it anymore. As incredible as it may have seemed, her heart had gone to Regina after hearing all of that. She needed Emma. _The Evil Queen needed The Savior_. She had just had an epiphany. Everything made sense then. Everything but the so-called Savior, still frozen on her stall.

The princess faced Ruby, still taken aback. "But... but I..." She looked lost at the moment. Which only meant she needed tough werewolf love.

"Did you not hear everything she just said? She _cares_ about you. That's why she's been keeping you away. Do you need me to draw it for you, Em? .NOW!" Little-Red-Riding-Hood nearly growled.

"Fine! I'm going! I'm going!" the blonde ran to the door, dodging curious customers on her way out; but before exiting the diner, she turned around to howl a "Thanks, Rubes!" and then disappeared.

* * *

><p>"Regina! Wait!"<p>

The former queen kept on marching. "Enough is enough, Miss Swan. I refuse to submit myself to further offense today." The bite in her words didn't deter Emma from pursuing her. She sprinted to catch up and grabbed the sorceress by the elbow, apparently oblivious to the sudden flow of magic abruptly surging through them, leaving pleasurable tingles on its wake accross the brunette's arms and spine. Regina felt unexpectedly soothed, unexpectedly calm, and it was obvious that Emma's magic was doing that for her.

The blonde took a big breath and announced, "I'll wait for you."

Regina found herself too astonished to reply, so Emma profited to continue. "I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. I was hurting too, I thought you didn't care. And to be honest, it hurt like hell. But now I know... now I know." Green eyes bore deep into brown. "So I'll wait until you can forgive me. I believe in you. I also believe in me and in my ability to provide you with your happy ending." The air was heavy with the layered meaning behind her words. Emma was supposed to restore all the happy endings of the citizens of Storybrooke; but when it came to Regina it was different. It was personal. It was about Emma just as much as it was about Regina. "I'll make sure of it. I also want you to know I would never, ever, under any circumstance, hurt you willingly." The princess stepped closer to the former mayor as she made that statement, blowing proxemics to the wind. "I thought you knew that. I've had your back on multiple occasions in the past, just as you've had mine. But maybe it wasn't enough, and you know what? It's fine, 'cause I won't give up. Henry binds us together, Regina. We are his moms. Both of us. And that makes _us_ family. And family never give up on each other." The magic grew stronger, word after word, beckoning her to Emma, sucking her on, tempting her to fall, whispering in her ear that she would be held and kept together if she just let it happen. "So, when you're ready to move on, you know where to find me. And if you need me, rest assured, like my parents say, _I will always find you_. "

Family. Acceptance. Safety. It was all Regina had ever wanted. It was all Emma had always longed for too.

Regina found out she couldn't breath, she couldn't keep standing so close to Emma without grabbing onto her like she was a lifeline. The magic was so strong she couldn't think of anything else. A storm had been brewing in the Savior's eyes, and she looked like she was ready to burst too.

"Emma..." She sighed. She wasn't strong enough to keep resisting the blonde. She couldn't face all that was happening around her alone; but maybe, just maybe, she dared think, together they could.

_You may not be strong enough. But maybe __**we**__ are._

"Regina!" a voice pierced through their moment.

The magic stopped as abruptly as it had started and the brunette felt as if she was waking from a dream. "Roland?" The little boy had become attached to her knee. His father soon made his appearance, nearly out of breath.

"Hey," he greeted her. "This little rascal sure can run." He bent over to inhale deeply and mess with his son's hair. "Any progress on defrosting Marian yet?"

"Robin." The sorceress looked in pain, as she did every time Hood was around. She felt a renewed surge of fierce magic enveloping her, _protecting her_ even, and a sideways glance towards Emma picked up the same fierceness in her green eyes. "No, I'm afraid not. Henry and I are working on it though."

The man looked defeated. "I see".

"Regina, come get ice cream with us!" Demanded the child.

"Can't do, kiddo. Snow Queen's out of business these days." Emma squatted to speak to him at eye level and brushed Regina's knee in the process, eliciting a shiver to run through her legs. "What about Popcorn instead? That's a shop run by a decent citizen." she added.

"Popcorn!" the kid seemed pleased.

Regina smiled. "Then popcorn it is, little one."

"Care to join us, Sheriff?" ventured Robin, augmenting Regina's awkwardness at the four of them being together.

Emma stood up to her full height, straightened her shoulders and raised her chin before answering. "I'll take a raincheck on that."

"Emma, wait." Regina pleaded. "We..."

The blonde's whole demeanor softened upon looking at the former queen. "I already said what I had to say. Gotta get back to work now. And, don't forget, I'll be waiting. Bye, kiddo." She impishly pulled at Roland's earlobe. "Hood." Her voice lowered an octave again.

Regina was left staring at a red jacket strolling away until the man next to her invaded her thoughts.

"I get the feeling that Emma doesn't like me very much", he remarked. "Or maybe it's the Sheriffs in general that dislike me."


	4. Chapter 5

**SQFix 5**

_(4 is still in the works)_

**The one where Emma realizes**

"Hey."

The brunette rose from the file she was currently browsing. "Yes?"

Emma spoke shyly. "Thank you."

They were alone in the Sheriff's office, after having followed Ingrid's trail rather unfruitfully; although they had snatched Emma's youthful dossier, which the former Mayor was currently examining, and a piece of intel from Belle, but not much else. Regina had all but dropped her research on a cure for Marian when she became privy to the Snow Queen's entanglement with Emma; it was a pressing matter that demanded her full attention. And Robin... Robin would have to sort out his problems himself for the time being.

Twilight time was coming earlier every day; Regina could make out the last rays of sunset filtering through the window blinds. She squinted a little and lifted a sculptured eyebrow at the blonde. "For what? I haven't done anything yet."

Emma was suddenly captivated by the floor. "For _not wanting to kill me_. And sticking around. I'm... I'm glad you have my back. Thanks."

Regina felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and realized she had to deflect. "Don't get all mushy on me. I draw the line at briding each other's hair." She smirked.

The Savior rolled her eyes into her skull. "I'm trying to be sincere here and you aren't makin' it any easier." She complained. "It's just... It's... It's nice knowing you care." Regina lifted both eyebrows this time. "I mean, I _knew_ you cared, even though you were always denying it but now I... I kinda feel it. And it's great, and..." The former queen kept staring at her, causing Emma to blush profusely. "I'm gonna shut up now."

A warm smile crept into the brunette's face. "Don't flatter yourself, Miss Swan. I do not care _that_ much."

It was an off-handed confession of caring that illuminated Emma's face; it was almost like her freckles sparkled. Regina wished she didn't notice those kind of things about the blonde and went back to her browsing, until she realized said blonde was still fixated on her.

"What now?"

"Huh?"

"You are staring."

"Oh. Oh! Yeah, sorry." The Sheriff turned around.

It was Regina's turn to roll her eyes. Maybe she _did_ care too much for her tastes. "I'm regretting my question already, but is something bothering you?"

Emma hesitated. "Well, yeah... But you're gonna tell me to mind my own business." She acquiesced.

"Am I?"

"Although you are Henry's mom. And I consider you my friend. That kinda makes it my business by proxy." The Sheriff argued.

"Are you ever going to fill me in on this idea of yours or do you prefer to keep assuming my end of the conversation inside of your head?" Patience was a virtue Regina knew she was lacking.

"Robin doesn't deserve you." The princess blurted out.

The sorceress felt a storm brewing in her heart. "I thought we had agreed that I had changed." She spat.

Emma seemed lost. "What? No! I meant **he** isn't good enough for **you**." She amended quickly.

Regina looked at her like she was missing a couple screws. "The mythical Robin Hood that steals from the rich to give to the poor? That defies tyrant rulers and heroically stands up for the people? Yes, I should aim so much higher."

Emma was not impressed. "He may be a hero but that doesn't mean he knows how to love properly. How to love _you_ properly." She followed rapidly as Regina kept her wary regard focused on her. "The guy went from professing everlasting love to her wife to being madly in love with you in like, 5 seconds. What if he meets someone else later down the road? Is he going to forget about you as quickly as that?"

The brunette looked suddenly defeated. "There's fairy dust involved in all of this, Emma. It's not as simple. Also, Marian was dead until a couple of weeks ago. He didn't have to make a choice when we started... Our relationship."

Her explanation was not enough to get Emma onboard. "Yeah, that fairy dust thing isn't really endgame for me. I believe we make our own destiny." Regina gave her her trademark _oh, really_ look. "Yeah, I know Rumple played us both but I stand by my argument. Beyond that, and going back to Hood; not choosing his wife, who is a big part of those heroic tales you spoke about, who is _the mother of his son_, who countless bards have woven a romance of epic proportions around... Speaks badly about him, 'Gina. And dumping on you the responsibility of thawing her is even worse. I haven't seen him move one finger for the sake of unfreezing her after that lame ass excuse for a kiss he gave her."

"All that I get from that is that you think I'm the wrong choice." She said, hurt evident in her voice.

"What's with the selective hearing? What I'm saying is that you deserve your **own** true love, not some story rehashed from scrapes. Someone who loves all of you, who challenges you and completes you, and not a sub from another fairytale. Someone whose story isn't written in stone and who'll choose you out of free will. And who loves Henry." She paused. "If he doesn't I'm vetoing him."

Regina's mouth went agape. "Why on all the realms would you get veto powers over my love life?"

"It's a _Team Moms_ thing. And I'm vetoing Robin for being douchy right now." The blonde laughed.

"Are you? Well, I'm vetoing Guyliner over the same terms." The former mayor struck back.

Emma had to rein herself in ir order to not die of laughter over the jab at Hook's makeup of choice. "What?" She said, feigning outrage. "But Killian loves Henry!"

"Debatable at best, as he is probably doing it just to get into your savior-pants. Besides, he'll never love our son the way _we_ do. Regardless, i'm vetoing him for being an imbecile."

« 'Gina, _no one_ is going to love him like _we_ do. » Emma argued, completely glossing over the insult aimed at her so-called boyfriend. « What are you saying? That we just stay celibate 'till the end of our days? » She joked. « Or… »

Or.

Sepulchral silence ensued, where they gazed at each other for centuries.

And then Regina broke their muted dance. « Stop it. You are melting your brain and we need to find this Snow Queen. Let's get back to research. »

The princess obeyed and kept rewinding her homemade video again and again, but her thoughts flocked elsewhere.

« I guess it makes sense. »

The brunette emerged once more from the file. « Emma, I think you might have ADHD. It's more often found in children but it is diagnosed in adults too. We should make an appointment at the clinic. »

The Sheriff smiled at the light banter. She loved being on Regina's good side again. « I'm gonna ignore that. I meant I guess you and me, we make sense. »

« All this ice is getting to your head. You lost me at 'you and me' ». She crossed her legs at the ankles and a smooth expanse of skin appeared from under her skirt. Emma followed the motion and gulped.

« If... if only from a storytelling point of view." She continued. "You were the Evil Queen, you destroyed all the happy endings because you had been denied yours… » Regina visibly flinched. « I'm the Savior, born from True Love to break the curse and bring them' endings back… » She explained.

« Yes, _tale as old as time_ by now, dear. Is this going anywhere or- »

"It only makes sense for _me_ to be your happy ending." The Sheriff looked elated, like she had achieved illumination. She seemed seconds away from yelling _Eureka!_.

Regina laughed out loud. "You want to be my own personal Savior? I'm definitely calling Whale now." She had tears in her eyes as she searched her purse for her cellphone.

That didn't deter Emma. "Think about it. You cast a curse, I broke the curse. Why did you cast it? Because you had lost your love. It's only logical that **I** bring you love again." Regina stopped dead on her tracks upon hearing that. The princess' epiphany was far from over, though. "You fend off the happy endings; I bring them back, _including yours_. You were a Dark Queen. I was prophesized to be a White Savior. It's so Ying and Yang it hurts." The former mayor tried to interrupt her to no avail. "Even the little things. You were the Mayor. I was the Sheriff. I mean, I still am, but my Dad kinda is too and he is married to the _current_ Mayor, my Mom, who also happens to be a brunette. And my Dad is blonde like me."

"Are you proposing we pass a law enforcing brunette-blonde marriages only? I foresee a redhead uprising." Alas, the sassyness went unnoticed as there was no stopping Emma; she was on a roll.

"We share a son, our history is complicated, our magic is at it strongest when we're together... half of the time mine works only when you're around. But I digress. You have a thing for blonde thiefs and I for brunette former villains... Jesus I think I could go on and on!" She was ecstatic upon finding the thread that seemingly bound everything together.

"Please do." The former queen fumbled with her purse still. "I may actually record this for Whale so he can write down a thorough mental examination."

The princess didn't acknowledge her jabs at all. "Kept apart by time and space... reunited by their shared son, _the truest believer_... started off as enemies but slowly grew into each other, begrudgingly at first, I admit - although **you** were the harder one to crack - but easier and smoother day by day afterwards... this thing just writes itself!"

"The next Great American Novel, Emma." The brunette had dared to produce a handkerchief to dry her tears of laughter. Emma was not amused.

"Stop it with the mocking." She drove her point home by staring at her deeply. "We also come from similar emotional backgrounds, albeit they were lived worlds apart. And no one gets me like you do. You know this. _I told you this_." She pointed out.

Regina deflated on her chair, succumbing before Emma's surprising boldness. She had to put a stop to it as they were threading into dangerous territory. "There's only one problem with your 'theory', Miss Swan... there is no attraction between us."

She regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth as it was one of the most blatant lies she had ever told, spoken to the one person who claimed she could always know when she was lying. A person who also loved to rose to the challenge.

"Really? Interesting..." Emma kneeled in front of her, invading her personal space in a fraction of a second. "Then why does your breath hitch when we get up close and personal?"

Dammit, her breath _had_ hitched. And audibly, to make matters worse; but two could play the game. "Your pupils are dilated." She threw back at the blonde. They were so close she could make out the sparks of gold amidst a sea of green.

The Savior grabbed her wrist in order to feel her pulse. "Your heartbeat is so fast I fear an arrythmia unraveling any second now." She gave Regina her disarming Charming (TM) smile; but the sorceress would not submit.

"You are blushing." She had started to notice more and more the tiny freckles in Emma's cheeks. Sometimes it seemed like they almost weren't there and sometimes they appeared in full _adorable_ force. Bloody hell.

"It's because you're giving off heat like a stove." The blonde smirked. "You realize you are actually proving my point, right?" It was Emma's turn to become enthralled by Regina's features, her lips rising to prominence under the Savior's gaze. She always smelled like apples and cinnamon. Was it her perfume? Was it her shampoo? Could she get a brand out of her? Or maybe nonchalantly stick her nose in her hair, would that be too much?

Meanwhile, the brunette realized that somewhere down the road her argument had mutated from _we're not attracted to each other_ to _i'm not attracted to you but __**you**__ certainly are to me_.

"Stop being an idiot." Regina chided her, overwhelmed by the blonde's forwardness. Emma thought before speaking for once in her life, swallowing the _I am __**your**__ idiot_ that threatened to escape her mouth, and just _then_ realized that the circumnstances had escalated quickly as she was holding back from the very real urge to kiss the other woman and she just _couldn't_ for reasons that eluded her at the time. She had to back off.

The blonde stood, distancing herself from the queen and recovering her ability to breathe. "Sorry... I was out of line. It just... It would be a hit. Who needs _Frozen_ when you get writing like that, huh? Don't tell Elsa I said that."

Her cheeks were still blushed and she felt awkward and couldn't look in the vicinity of the other woman's anatomy and was desperately trying to cover up for it with small talk and silly jokes. Regina knew this, and berated herself for the feeling of warmth that envelopped her chest in that moment. She really _knew_ Emma. _Knew-knew_ Emma. Her so-called personal Savior, in dire need of saving right then.

"Even your parents wouldn't hold a candle to us." She condescended. Emma's eyes lit up at the words. "Mills and Swan. Making magic. Saving the day." Her lips came together in a lopsided smile.

Emma looked back at her under heavy lidded eyes. "Swan and Mills." She challenged.

"Now you are just testing me." Regina's voice at that moment was akin to porn to Emma's ears. "You want to be my own personal Savior but I think of you more as of my own personal _idiot_."

Emma's eyes bulged out of their sockets. Could Regina read her mind?

The brunette offered her her best Cheshire cat smile. "Let's get back to work. Your mother may be the new mayor but you're still working under the previous administration budget. Aka under **me**."


	5. Chapter 6

**SQ Fix 6**

_You've been Swenned!_

**Regina Mills and the Princess**

One, two, multiple footsteps reverberating through her not-so-secret vault.

"Mom". Worry tainted her son features. "There's something wrong with Ma."

* * *

><p>Sixteen missed phone calls on her screen. Five from Mary Margaret, four from David, four from Hook, three from Henry.<p>

The phone rang again.

_Seventeen_, she thought, but then heard the familiar ringtone from Star Wars and hesitated.

It was Regina.

Her heart clenched in her chest. Should she answer? She wanted to be alone right then, but, what if something else had happened while she was away and-?

A red dress strutting through the foliage caught her eye. She lowered the passenger's window in order to speak to the newcomer.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, eyes hard and guarded.

"The question is, Miss Swan, what are **you** doing here." The brunette opened the car's door and sat next to the Sheriff. "Our son, who by the way is _terribly worried about you_, filled me in about what took place at your department. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" The sorceress surveyed her looking for bruises or other wounds.

Her guard dropped a little bit. "I'm ok. David is the one that got hurt... because of me." Hard eyes again, gazing into the horizon.

"Emma, you don't look ok. Walk me through what happened."

Maybe it was their recent heart-to-heart, or the way Regina's voice had softened at her name, or the look of concern in her eyes, or maybe Emma was tired of facing everything life threw at her alone and she needed a friend right then; but her defenses lowered a bit more and she started talking.

"Ingrid got into my head. She was sayin' some stuff about my family not really understanding me nor loving me, but being afraid of my magic instead. I played right into her trap; she triggered me and I blew up one of the Station's walls by accident. Then everyone appeared and I told them to stay away because I was scared of my magic reacting like that without my command, but Hook reached for me anyway and then the lightbulbs lining the street exploded and a lamp-post came crashing down and hurt David. Then Mary Margaret looked at me like I was the worst daughter ever and I just... ran." The princess' tale filled the air with a mix between guilt and hopelessness.

Regina listened to her intently before speaking again. "Emma, I am sorry to hear that. Magic can be difficult to control, especially when it has just recently made itself known. It takes time and practice to master it. Maybe we can pick up our lessons where we left them." She offered.

The blonde nodded almost imperceptibly, her mood unchanged.

"Do I _really_ need to state the obvious about your parents loving you and always finding you and all that Charming-Family idiocy?" The brunette huffed; it got her a smile from the other woman.

"Yeah, I know they love me. But sometimes it's like I don't _feel_ it. Too many years an orphan, I guess." Regina felt her throat constrict upon hearing that last word. "Pan was right about exploting my", she air-quoted, "'lost girl' weakness. And now the 'Villain of the Week' is doing the same. Should've known better by now." She made a pause. "They were afraid today, though. They've never seen me out of control like that. _I_ certainly hadn't."

Emma had had time to process the day's events and spoke in an even, almost monotonous tone. It seemed to the former mayor that she was trying to emotionally detach herself from the situation. "They may be a couple of idiots but they love you with all their hearts." She sighed. "Their shared heart. God, your parents make me nauseous sometimes." Lifted eyebrow. "Most of the time. But I digress. They are your family and they love you; our son also loves you, and Guyliner pines over you like a lost puppy." Her voice tinged with disgust. "You _were_ an orphan and I am partly responsible for that; I would say I'm sorry, but I cannot, as being one made you the person you are today and brought us Henry and... " a long pause and a troubled brow. "What I'm trying to say is that you have people who love you and you are not alone anymore." Deep, meaningful stare.

"You missed one." The blonde said with a smirk. Regina waited for her to continue. "You. I also have you."

The red from her dress spilled up to her neck and cheeks. "We may have a tentative friendship at most, but I've never said that I love you, Miss Swan."

"I don't love you either." A full-on grin this time, as Emma loved messing with the former queen.

"Fine." She huffed.

"Fine." Emma was making an effort not to burst out laughing.

"Did you have clowns for breakfast? I fail to see the humor in all of this." The brunette complained, all crossed arms and evasive eyes.

"It's you. You get so wound up about things like this." The Savior was looking at her like she was the cutest thing in the world. And she absolutely _loathed_ it. "You say you don't love me and you get all defensive but friends love each other and at the end of the day..." Silence.

"Your dramatic pause is getting tiresome." Furrowed, furrowed brow.

"... You are here." Sincerity swept through her voice. "You are here, and you have my back." Another meaningful stare. "Thank you."

Epic eye roll. "I'm still not braiding your hair."

"Your loss. I have awesome hair." She shook her head to emphasize her point, and that seemed to make her remember something. "Hey. How did you go about finding me here?"

Regina awarded her a derisive snort. "I have my means."

"Come on. Spit it out."

"Magic." she waved her hands in the air for effect. Emma kept staring. "All right. I know you come here when you are upset. I had Sidney following you back when you first arrived, remember?" She avowed.

Emma puckered her lips in thought. "I don't know if I should feel angry in retrospective or pleased that you remember. I think I'll go with the last one. Not loving me: you are doing it wrong." Teasing Regina made her enjoy herself almost too much; her cheerful grin was a testament to that.

The brunette blushed some more, but then striked back, grabbing Emma's phone. "Really? _You_ are doing it wrong also." The blonde tried futilely to get it back, as Regina kept her at an arm's length by pushing her by her breastbone. She manouvered with her other hand until she was able to dial Emma's phone from her own. "What is that ringtone I hear, pray tell? Sure sounds like a love song to me."

Emma was mortified to hear her "Han Solo and The Princess" track from the Star Wars Original SoundTrack. "It's not what you think." Disbelieving brow raised at her. "The Imperial March starts a little later. **That's** your ringtone. I, huh... I accidentally deleted Darth Vader's theme and..." she struggled with her sentences.

Regina regarded her full of amusement, her Cheshire cat grin in place. "Please, dear, tell me more." It was Emma's turn to huff in annoyance. "Or maybe you shouldn't tell_me_ more, maybe you should tell Handless Wonder to leave you off his hook, considering you _clearly_ swing the other way. _My way_, to be more precise."

"You sure are full of yourself. Who says you're my type?" Emma defied.

Regina lifted another sculptured eyebrow, mildly surprised about Emma not denying her _varied interests_. "Am I not?" She challenged back.

The woman was a vision in a figure hugging, totally fitting red dress, for God's sake. Who was she kidding? She couldn't pull off **such** a huge lie, could she?

Regina smiled seductively. "I thought so."

No, she couldn't.


	6. Chapter 7

**SQ Fix 7**

_You've been Swenned!_

Break Ups and Make Ups

Her magic was out of control. She had hurt Henry, for Christ's sake. It had to stop. She needed it to stop. She needed...

The blonde waltzed into the vault stealthily. She was about to call for Regina when she saw Robin Hood lifting her up in the air and kissing her passionately. She inhaled sharply and, as dread set on her chest, left the vault to wander back into the night.

* * *

><p>"Emma, I am so proud!" Elsa danced her way around her in the Sheriff's office. "The way you faced your fears and got a hold of your magic... so wonderful!" She had stars in her eyes. "You know what we should do? We should throw a ball. That's right! As soon as we find Anna and find a way back to Arendelle, I'm throwing a ball in your honor. And, and knighting you. Yes!" She seemed really pleased about herself.<p>

Emma found it all very amusing until that last idea. "What? Forget it, you don't have to throw a ball for something like this."

But Elsa didn't hear her as she was on a roll. "And you'll meet Kristoff and Sven and Olaf - we should do this soon now that it's winter, or he'll leave a water trail wherever he dances- wait. " The Queen's eyes almost left her sockets as she (finally) registered the other woman's words. "Emma! Of course we have to celebrate! Don't you see? This is really important. It's a milestone. It's a day that shall never be forgotten. It's-"

"Not really that big a deal." The Savior deadpanned.

Elsa lifted and eyebrow and took a seat across the blonde. "Okay. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Eyes gazing at the horizon.

"Emma."

"What?" She was getting defensive.

"You're a bad liar, just like Anna. Can't fool me." She smiled, hoping to get Emma off her edge. "Why aren't you happy? What's missing?" she inquired.

A pair of brown orbs appeared like a flash in Emma's mind, followed by a kiss she was actively trying to forget. "I **am** happy." She answered, folding her arms around her chest. "No one's missing."

_No one_, Elsa noted. _Interesting._

"Did you fix things up with Regina?"

Emma nearly fell off her chair.

"And what does _that_ have to do with anything?"

"Nothing. It's just this look in your eye. You get it everytime you are thinking about her." Emma remained frozen in her spot like a deer caught in headlights. Elsa took pity on her and backpedaled. "I'm kidding. It's just, I'm curious, I thought you had patched things up but I haven't seen her around lately."

No wonder, Emma thought, as she was avoiding her like the plague since that fateful night.

"We had. I thought. Whatever." Silence.

Elsa threaded lightly as she felt she was walking on broken glass. "She did brew a locator spell to find you." She chewed on her lower lip. "The one I stole, actually."

"And I'm glad you did." The tiniest of smiles graced Emma's features.

The Queen made a mock curtsey that bolstered her friend's smile. "At your service." Then she pushed the subject again. "I was kind of surprised when your parents and Henry showed up and Regina wasn't there. " She saw Emma square her jaw. "I figured she was with them."

"She was." A steely gaze directed anywhere but at her. "But she got a call and left."

The princess looked like she was about to blow a fuse, but Elsa dared to continue the conversation. "I wonder who call-"

"Hood." came the murderous voice.

"Oh." _Oh_ indeed. "I see." Emma remained stoic. She _had_ to lighten the mood. "Well, you know men... they can be so needy sometimes." She wouldn't know, as she had never dated one, but she had heard it somewhere back in her land and she hoped it rang true in this other world too.

Her words worked her magic as Emma snorted. "Tell me about it."

"Hook seems very serious about you." The Queen observed, relieved to steer their exchange from dangerous territory .

"Yeah. He is a... good ally." Emma seemed more interested in doodling on her paperwork than on continuing their discussion. Elsa drew herself forward on her chair to focus on the other blonde's writing, nearly bumping their heads in the process. She found out Emma had scribbled _ally_ in a small, close-knit script on the page's edge.

"A good... ally." The Arendellian repeated, looking at the princess questioningly.

At that moment, the Dept.'s door slung open, startling the both of them, and revealing Regina in all her black wintercoat glory behind it. "I hope I am not interrupting something." She announced, her voice bringing the thermostat inside the office down by a few degrees.

"Regina!" Elsa's face swelled with excitement as she rose to greet her. "I'm so glad you are here! You _have_ to help me convince Emma about throwing a ball in her honour."

"A ball?" The former queen steely inquired under a raised brow directed at Emma, who made her best efforts in order not to squirm under it.

" Yes! To celebrate her control over magic! It's a coming of age of sorts, wouldn't you agree?"

Emma seemed so against the idea that Regina _had_ to get behind it. "I wholeheartedly do." She smirked, satisfied at the eyeroll the blonde granted her.

Elsa perked up at her newfound ally. "Magnificent! Well, I shall get to the planning while you get to the convincing. See you later, Em!"

"Elsa, wait!" She would **not** be left alone with Regina after all she'd been through in order to avoid her. "You can't go, we have to do the... _thing_, remember?" She looked at her meaningfully.

"Thing? What thing?" Had they discussed a thing?

"You know... _the thing_." She was one second away from winking at her.

"Ohh, right, _the thing_..." Elsa knew then there was no thing whatsoever. "Don't worry, I'll manage alone. Bye!" She said, winking at Emma and flying through the door to the Savior's chagrin.

_I'm gonna kill that snowflake_, Emma promised, as soon as she found herself alone with a certain brunette.

A full minute went by without one of them uttering a sound until Regina decided to stop the awkwardness and speak. "You and Twinkle Toes sure seem cozy around each other. Didn't know you had a new BFF, _Em._" she mocked her. "Well, I have no way of knowing, really, since I never see you around anymore."

She swiftly dodged the question. "Twinkle toes?"

"She has a certain twinkle to her step." the brunette noted. "Emma." She held the blonde's gaze. "Why are you avoiding me?"

The princess chose to answer something else entirely. "About the BFF bit, yeah, Elsa and I are friends. She has helped me a lot lately. _Had my back_. Heck, even saved me from a couple of bad choices down the road." The sentence carried an accusation within it, even though Emma didn't want to convey her inner feelings to the other woman. She realized too late that she couldn't help herself.

Regina acknowledged the blow and replied grimly. "It should have been me."

"What?" The princess' heart skipped a beat.

"The one to help you gain control over your magic. It should have been me." Her eyes found Emma's. "I know that."

The blonde fiddled a bit on her chair to try and jumpstart her heart again; she even thumped her chest a couple of times. It didn't work; she needed a change of subject. "I figured you had other things to do. Or _people_ to do. Whatever."

"Excuse me?" Regina's soft gaze was quickly replaced by a murderous one. "I fail to see how who I _do_ or _do not do_ is any of your business, especially since you have been avoiding me nonstop. You made a big statement about us being friends and then you practically disappeared." She spat. "Didn't you even _think_ about coming to me for help when your magic hijacked you? How long have you known Twinkle Toes anyway?"

Oh, no. _Oh-no-no_. Emma was not going to let her turn things around. "What? Seriously? **Of course** I came looking for you, Regina. I thought you would walk me through my issues. Because, you know, I thought you _got me_. I told you so. But you were really " air-quotes " '_busy_' getting your mack on with Hood so, obviously, I left."

That startled the brunette. "Oh."

"_Oh_ indeed." The blonde was far more angry that she was entitled to.

"So you've been avoiding me because... you saw me with Robin?" Came the tentative inquiry.

Emma rolled her eyes into oblivion. "I haven't been avoiding you!" She would deny it until her death.

"Emma, I haven't seen you in a week! Don't take me for a fool!" Regina was also far more angry than Emma could have expected. Scratch the 'until her death' parth. She had to relent.

"Well, yeah, ok! I have been avoiding you! It's just... I hate the guy!" She did. Not because she caught him with his hands all over the brunette. _Not at all_.

"Why? Because he cares about me?" The sorceress upped her defenses.

"Care? Are you freaking kidding me? Don't you realize you're his side chick? While his loving wife is _freezing to death_. You should know better!" Emma was furious and she could feel her magic crackling under her skin. She had to calm down, but Regina wasn't going to make it easy for her.

"Who gave you the right to take a stand in the matter? It's my life and I am the only one who has a say in all of this!" She yelled at her, but then lost her fighting spirit and slightly bowed her forehead. "Robin has been pursuing me non-stop and I caved, okay? It was wrong, but if that is all the happiness I will be able to get out of this screwed up soulmate situation then-" She spoke in soft undertones that made Emma rage up instead of calm down.

"**He is not your happy ending!**" Roared the blonde.

Regina'a anger rose again. "What do **you** know about happy endings? Who died and made you the expert on all-things happiness? You're wasting your time with a leecherous pirate who will revert back to his old treacherous ways in the blink of an eye. And _I'_m the one who should know better?"

"This isn't about Hook. Don't make this about Hook."

"**I'm** making this about men?" She lifted an eyebrow at her. "I'm pretty sure this isn't about Robin either."

Emma's lips protruded in a stubborn pout, but remained otherwise silent.

Regina sighed and grabbed her purse, which she had previously hung on the back of the chair Elsa had sat on. "Fine. If you don't want to talk about it I'm not going to force you. But you can't keep avoiding me forever, Emma. Don't be a child about this. It isn't becoming on you."

One, two, three steps towards the door.

"Regina, wait." The brunette turned around, expectant. "Don't leave." Emma lowered her eyes to the ground. "I wanted it to be you."

The air was heavy between them with all the words left unsaid. Regina walked closer to Emma, who stood up from her desk.

"I know." Longing looks were exchanged.

"Good." Emma mumbled, bringing her fingers to mess with her hair as she was overcome with the awkwardness and bareness of the moment. She felt kind of naked before the other woman.

"We are not going to hug it up, are we?" Regina tried to lighten the mood, but the blonde seemed suddenly determined.

"Try and stop me."

Regina inhaled sharply as the Savior obliterated their distance and held her tight by her midriff. Against her better judgement, she buried her nose in Emma's shoulder and started to wonder. What were they doing? Why did being next to the princess feel so good, so right, so... _it_, while everything else, _everyone else_, Robin and Guyliner and tattoos and ships, soulmates and pirates, felt so wrong?

"I'm sorry." Came the soft apology from the brunette's lips.

The blonde took a deep breath near her left ear that made her tremble a little bit in response. "Yeah. I'm sorry too."

* * *

><p>"This has to end."<p>

_Of all the greetings she could muster_, Robin thinks as he enters the vault.

"Well Hello to you too, my love." He answers, catching her by the waist.

"I think you did not hear me. Do not call me that." She squirms out of his grasp.

The thief sighs. "Okay... What happened?

"I came back to my senses, Robin. You are married. You have a kid. Your wife needs you to save her right now. We may have been soulmates a long time ago, but things have changed. We shouldn't see each other like this anymore." Her furrowed brow translates the turmoil in her heart.

Robin doesn't get it. "Regina, this last week has been wonderful. I thought you felt that way too, but now you change your mind out of the blue. What happened?"

"Nothing." Comes the swift reply.

He is not convinced and looks at her suspiciously. "What were you doing today at the Sheriff's station?"

"Wait, what? You were following me?" She is appalled. Frankly.

He denies it. "Nah, just a coincidence. But I bet this change of mind of yours isn't one. I had hoped Swan would have butted out since that night she came to see you, but I guess I was wrong."

The brunette stops breathing and pierces him with her gaze. "Wait... you _saw_ her?"

"Well, yeah." Cue the ass grabbing and body lifting that ensued. Emma was far too interested in Regina's life for his taste and he wanted to get his point across to the so-called Savior: _Back off, she is mine._

"And you didn't think to _tell_ me?" She asks in outrage.

"Should I? We were busy, Regina." He shrugs.

"She was having a magical breakdown, Robin." She states, losing her patience.

The thief isn't impressed. "And that is your problem _how_?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's complicated." She dodges the question. "But she needed me then and I was not privy to that. _You_ kept me from aiding her." The sorceress blames him.

"Oh, so she _needed_ you. Um. Interesting. Say, Regina, do you _need_ her too? Anything else I should know about your relationship with the Sheriff?" He's really upset now, but the former Queen doesn't mind.

"She is not _just_ the Sheriff. She is _family_. And you getting in the way of my family is not something I'll abide by, tolerate, condone, nor put up with. It starts with Emma and next thing I know, you'll have a problem with Henry too. And that is just unacceptable." Her statement is final.

Robin laughs without smiling. "This is not about Henry. This is about Em-"

Regina's eyes are cold and match her voice as she interrupts him. "As of this moment, it isn't about you either. I'll help you get Marian back but that's it."

He gives her his signature boyish grin. "You may try to keep your heart locked up, but I'll steal it right from under you again." He gets dangerously close to her before adding, "Now that I know you have a type I'll not lose you to another blonde former thief."

Regina freezes and, before she can react, Robin steals a kiss from her and leaves the vault with a rogue walk. The brunette ponders throwing a fireball at him but thinks of Roland and desists.

Once in the open, Robin sighs again. _Bloody hell_, were all the Sheriffs out to get him?

**Notes**

Hope this fixes - at least partly - that hot mess of a double-episode. I don't think Robin would cease in his attempts to woo Regina (even if he is a douche by doing this and forgetting about his wife) and he may even enjoy a little competition with Emma.


	7. Chapter 8

**SQFix 8**

_You've been Swenned!_

**When you Wish upon a Star**

The trinket felt light in her hand, ethereal, almost incorporeal; like it had lost all its weight when its purpose had been fulfilled. After they had defeated Ingrid and overcome the latest curse, Elsa had given her Anna's necklace with a soft smile and a knowing look. _It made my wish come true. Maybe it can still help you with yours._

That irritating snowflake. How did Elsa figure out what Emma was just recently coming to terms with?

She held the jewel's chain and felt like an idiot for doing what she was about to do. When was the last time she had wished for something? The memory struck her like lightning: she was turning 28 and wished on a star shaped candle over a cupcake that she wouldn't have to spend her birthday alone. There was a knock on her door and her life changed forever.

She observed the little star wearily. Maybe... she was ready for everything to change once again.

Emma steadied herself and closed her eyes. "I wish..."

Her senses overloaded her at once with a familiar face, a smell of freshly harvested apples and the feeling that swept through her soul when brown eyes were gazing at her. Her stomach clenched and she was rendered speechless in an instant. _Damn it_.

"I, for one, wish that the Sheriff would _at least_ pretend to work under Mommy's administration." The blonde turned so fast in search of the voice that had spoken that she almost gave herself whiplash. "Not that you worked much under me before, but at least you concealed the fact better."

As Emma remained frozen in place, unable to speak, Regina continued. "I can't say I'm not glad my entrances can still carve so deep an impression." She jested. "Henry left his 3DS at home, I brought it for you to return to him since he's staying with his grandparents tonight." She picked up the game console from her purse and placed it on Emma's desk.

"Uh, oh, ok." The blonde managed to reply, while she stealthily pocketed the necklace. She felt like a deer caught in headlights.

Regina raised a brow at her. "You seem awfully quiet today, dear. Is anything the matter?"

"No, not at all." She tried to act naturally. _Tried_. But nothing ever got past Regina in all things Emma.

"I see. Feeling a little rusty without a villain to defeat? Don't worry, with our inmigration rates I assume either Ursula the Sea Witch or maybe Cruella de Vil will show up in our quaint little town sooner rather than later. Hang in there, _Savior_." She practically winked her way out of the office.

As the door closed behind her, Emma collapsed on top of her desk. That was a close call. Was she actually about to wish for Regina to fall in love with her as the brunette was entering her department? What the hell was she thinking? That _had_ to be a sign. It was such a petty thing, she thought, wishing for someone to love you; not far removed from concocting a love potion. She had nearly taken the easy path, the one steady as the beating drum. Nearly fell to the dark side, she concluded. She heard Anakin Skywalker's voice inside her head: is it possible to learn this power?_Not from a Jedi_, she muttered, picking the necklace up once again and holding it right in front of her nose.

She tought of Regina once more and she knew what she had to do. Even if it didn't end up working. Even if it was _wishful thinking_ from her part.

"I wish that Regina would find her True Love in order to get her Happy Ending." She wished, her voice just above a whisper.

The necklace shone and emitted a rainbow-colored wave that swept through the Sheriff's Dept. and, unbeknownst to Emma, all of Storybrooke. Just as she wondered what the hell had just happened she heard a gasp and froze.

Regina was standing at the door, holding between her fingers a Zelda game cartridge she had forgotten to return, one that looked about to be dropped.

Whereas Emma was sure she was moments away from fainting.

"What did you do?" The sorceress looked frantic.

"I.. I just..." Language suddenly eluded her.

"Are you an idiot?" Regina was on her face then, eyebrows lost beyond her hairline while her eyes glided out of their sockets.

"Well, I..." She could practically hear Professor Higgins mocking her for her _cold bloody murder of the english tongue_.

"You knew that _thing_ could still grant wishes?" The brunette inquired, making Emma feel like she was being attacked.

"I wasn't sure it—"

Regina interrupted her babbling yet again. "But you suspected it and still wasted your wish on someone else? Hard to believe, Miss Swan. Where's the catch?"

Emma found her footing all of a sudden. "I think you may be mistaking me for a certain imp we both know well. He's kind of sassy and has a skin condition?" She became serious. "There's **no catch** whatsoever, Regina. I promised you I was going to get you your Happy Ending, so I'm doing just that."

The former queen rolled her eyes into oblivion. "You and your stupid Savior Complex!" She yelled at her.

"Hey! It's not a complex if you are appointed one!" She defended herself. "Geez, do you always react this badly when someone tries to do something nice for you?"

All the anger seemed to evaporate from the brunette's features as tears welled up in stricken chocolate eyes. "In all my life no one had _ever_ done something so terribly selfless for my sake before."

The princess' heart stopped. It just... came to a halt, without any warning whatsoever. _I need a reset button_, she mused, as she felt the glint in Regina's watery gaze beckoning her closer. They were having a moment, Emma knew. But then, they had had plenty before, and nothing seemed to ever change between them past certain point. For instance... she sighed, remembering the bit Henry had overheard about Regina thinking only her son and Hood didn't hate her. She was so wrong it made the blonde feel defeated. And so the moment was over and she was able to kickstart both her heart and her voice again. "I've got your back, Regina. I just wish you'd believe me." She side-eyed the trinket still in her hand suspiciously, and opted to leave it on top of her desk, considering it might still pack a wish-granting punch. Meanwhile Regina remained silent, fixated on green orbs. "Maybe now you'll start listing me among the people that _don't hate you_", the Sheriff quipped.

Realization hit the brunette. "How did you...?" A look from the blonde told her all she needed to know. Her little prince. Of course. "It happened in the midst of everything and I just didn't—" She tried to explain.

"You didn't think of it. Got it." The princess folded her arms and looked elsewhere. "Maybe you'll remember it from now on."

"Emma..." She began, but was unable to continue. Her eyes bore into The Savior's, and she felt like she was seeing her, _truly seeing her_, for the first time. Regina was struck by emotion. Emma... Emma did, had...

For her, she had...

_Made a wish_.

She just couldn't believe it. Emma had put her happiness before her own.

No one, ever, in all her life...

_In all her life_.

Tears scurried down the older woman's cheeks, unsettling the blonde. "Hey, I—I didn't mean to make you cry!"

But Regina was overwhelmed by emotions she thought long gone and could not stop crying to save herself. She surprised Emma by envelopping her in a warm embrace the blonde could never have imagined instead, with the former mayor glued to her neck.

"Why the hell do you have to be so utterly perfect?" Regina squeezed her between her arms. "I absolutely _loathe_ you for it!" she sobbed.

"_What?_ Oh my God that wish backfired." But then _what if what if what if_. What if _she_, if _she_, if _they_...?

"You are the best friend I've ever had." Came the trembling admittance from a still weeping former queen.

A _friend_. Hahaha, idiot number 3 all right. She wasn't Regina's True Love, of course. Who was she kidding? There was just no way. But they were friends. Friends. Friends was good. More than good. She could live with that, she sighed. But then she was kidding **herself**. She inhaled deeply and patted the former queen on the back. "As long as Maleficent doesn't make an appearance to get her title back" she taunted the other woman, desperately trying to break the spell she was under. She wasn't rusty because she didn't get to defeat another villain; she was getting rusty because she couldn't get the former villain in her arms to see _Something There_ in her.

Aaaand she was starting to get cheesy. It was time to pick the pieces up and leave.

As they left the building together - since Regina insisted that the least she could do was buying her lunch at Granny's - neither woman realized that Emma's Lyon flower tattoo was glowing with a hue of gold just under where Regina's fingers had captured her wrist in order to carry her to their town's Diner.


	8. Chapter 9

**SQ Fix 9**

_You've been Swenned!_

**Kiss the Girl**

All's well that ends well, Regina thinks, one arm around her Little Prince. With the spell of Shattered Sight, well, _shattered itself_, peace seems to, once again, come flooding back into Storybrooke. Snow and Charming have resumed being the two lovesick idiots they always've been around each other; the two Snowflake Sisters from who-cares-where are all smiles and twinkly eyes and whirls; and she can only assume Marian has thawed and reunited with her former soulmate. A sigh escapes her chest and Henry burrows further into her embrace as if on cue. She kisses his forehead and comprehends that her son will forever be more than enough to fulfill her life with true love.

« We had a swordfight. » She hears Snow announce, bringing her back from her Henry High. She gives her a lopsided smile before answering.

« That we did. » They have Henry's full attention by then.

« We destroyed town property. » The pixie haired woman continues, her voice equal parts amazed and amused.

« The computers needed upgrading anyway. » She dismisses.

Snow's eyes are sparkling regardless. « And you didn't use magic to hurt me. »

She shoots her a suspicious look. « Apparently I was in the mood for a more physical confrontation. What are you getting at? Why are you… » she glosses her hand all over Snow's figure, « … _beaming_? »

MM's smiling like she had her cake and ate it too. « You still **love** me. »

Henry shakes from laughter under her arm, and her eyeroll can be _heard_ a mile away. « For the love of God, Snow, stop trying to draw conclusions out of unrelated facts. You've been around Charming for so long his foolishness has rubbed off on you. »

The schoolteacher's delight seems to grow. « See? You didn't even insult me right now, you just took a jab at Charming! You **do** love me! You probably never stopped loving me! Regina, I'm so glad! » She takes her hand to her heart in a moving gesture.

Regina raises her chin defiantly but can't help the hint of amusement in her voice as she retorts, « I hunted you down for months and denied you of your Happy Ending for twenty-eight years, you starry-eyed deluded— »

« That's all in the past. Let bygones be bygones. » Snow interrupts as she dares put an arm around the former mayor's shoulders; who is forced therefore to feign dismay at the move. « The important thing is, do you feel like killing me now? »

« I'm really tempted. » She deadpans, but Snow remains focused on her; she rolls her eyes into oblivion as she acquiesces, « Ok, ok, I don't _want_ to kill you. » Snow dives in for a hug, but before she's able to shake her off a _savioury_ voice echoes in her ears.

« 'Not wanting to kill you' is Reginaspeak for **Love**, Mom. » states a presumptous Emma, both hands on her hips. « Just to clarify », she roguishly smirks. The former queen feels blood rushing to her cheeks and is about to scorch the blonde's _derrière_ when said blonde continues. « Can we talk? » Suddenly, large green eyes are honed in on her. « Mom, kid, could you wait for us at Granny's? I need to… »

« Sure thing, honey. Let's give your mothers some privacy, Henry. » Snow gives Regina an unexpected and swift hug, grabs the boy's hand, and signals Charming to follow them.

« See you in a few, Moms. » Another quick hug and down the road they go, The Charmings and her son, before Regina can even think to stop them.

The street is deserted all of a sudden, leaving her alone with Emma. A couple seconds go by without the blonde making a sound; to Regina it seems like decades have gone by. She feels the strong urge to distance herself from the Sheriff, stat. « If the cat got your tongue I guess we could leave this discussion for another ti— »

« Um, thank you for destroying the ribbons. And, sorry for saying all that stuff. » Emma's hands travel to the backpockets of her jeans and her whole demeanor changes to an hesitant one. « I needed you to hate me with all your might in order to get those fucking ribbons off. We couldn't use magic against Ingrid otherwise », she is quick to explain. « But I didn't mean any of it. Not a single word. » She punctuates every syllabe.

« All right. » The brunette looks elsewhere. « Apology accepted. Now, let's catch up with Henry and the two idiots. »

The princess is all up in her personal space in a flash, a green tide flooding her eyes. « You **do** believe me, right? This is important, 'Gina. I wouldn't want to mess up our relationship again. Even if I didn't mean it the first time either.» She worries her bottom lip between her teeth and the brunette is abruptly distracted. To make matters worse, she's getting dizzy just by holding the blonde's gaze.

« Get off your high horse, Miss Swan, our what did you call it? 'Relationship'? Isn't as important as— » The Sheriff moves even closer and, is this really happening?

« Of course it is. To me at least, it sure is. » Emma's eyes roam all over the former mayor's face, in search of something Regina is afraid she _will_ be able find. « So I want you to be certain I didn't bring Marian back on purpose. » She stops at her nose. « I never intented to hurt you nor break your heart. » She stops at her forehead. « I have not been hanging out with Hook in order to make you jeal— »

« Emma, this is hardly necessary. » If she poofs herself out of there, would the blonde think her a coward? And why the hell does she care about what Emma Swan, of all people, thinks of her?

The Sheriff, nevertheless, won't be deterred. « It totally is. I regret having to say those things, even if it was to save the day. You didn't deserve it. » She resumes her roaming again, stopping at her right eye this time. « I **do** believe you will find happiness. » Left eye. « Scratch that, I _will ensure_ you do. » Left cheek. « I don't care about Hook more than I do about you. » She adds, mostly to herself, while her hand goes to grab the brunette's elbow of its own accord.

Regina has to rein herself in in order not to squirm. « You don't mean that, Emma. Last I heard, Guyliner was your boyfriend, for better or for worse. » Damn, her breath's coming out in ragged puffs. Emma **has** to have noticed.

Relentless, Emma pushes forward. « He is not my… » The former queen manages to lift a disbelieving brow. « Whatever. I don't care, because whatever he is, he doesn't hold a candle to what _you_ mean to me. I— » The princess roaming ends at her lips.

Regina has to double check that Emma has not snatched her heart out of her chest because sure as hell she feels like the blonde holds it in her hands. She also feels like she's dying. Is she having a panic attack?

« Emma, stop, stop right this instant or I'll, I'll… » She can't breathe. The Sheriff looks about to kiss her and they absolutely can't because everything will change and there's a reason they haven't stepped over that boundary before and proxemics, hasn't Emma heard about proxemics before, why would she even think that she could kiss her, she definitely loathes the idea but longs for it at the same time and she should be fireballing certain Savior's ass out of Maine already but she can't breathe and she can't think and foolish Emma Swan is looking at her like she is the apple of her eye and she just—

« I'll die if I stop. » Comes the throaty reply from behind pink lips and the blonde launches forward and Regina's knees give way and she is fainting, she's sure of it, and it feels like an earthquake has struck them and— wait a minute, they are in the floor instead of all over each other and the lampposts are shaking and it can't be their magic, can it? They haven't kissed yet for all she knows, but then again—

« EARTHQUAAAAAAAKEEEE! » Leroy's voice booms through the street.

Every single soul pours out of Granny's then, following Snow and Charming, as Emma swiftly lifts Regina up by the waist and steadies her. « Seriously? An earthquake? Just when we finally— _oomph!_ » The brunette elbowes her ribcage as Henry runs towards them; but that doesn't get Emma to release her.

Meanwhile, Ruby has leapt through the townsfolk in a few bounds and is sniffing the air around them. « It's coming from the town line! » she announces.

Charming lifts a hand to his creasing forehead. « What now? »

Regina suddenly has a bad feeling about something. « Wait. Where is Rumplestiltskin? »

Everybody looks at everybody and they realize both Belle and Mr. Gold are nowhere to be found.

A bawling erupts from little Neal's stroller and Snow frowns. « Crap. Just when I had managed to get him back to sleep.»

The aftershocks stop but Emma's arm remains securely anchoring Regina to her side.

And the former mayor should mind, but doesn't find it in her to.


	9. Chapter 10

**SQ Fix 10**

_You've been Swenned!_

**Inked**

The library was vast and bright, with comfy seats and mahogany desks scattered around. Regina, Emma and Henry spent a substantial amount of time rummaging through it since discovering its existence, and that day was no different. Only the mothers were there, though, as their son had school to attend (or _an education to receive_, as Regina so eloquently phrased it).

Well, Emma had a job to go to too, but the recent advent of a fairly share of new deputies (Tinkerbelle, Little John, and the return of Ruby) left her with enough free time to aid in Operation Mongoose. The last couple of weeks had been brimming with peaceful roams about the library, which contained not only empty volumes but quite a number of fully-fledged books; the complete chronicles of the stories of some of the characters that Henry's original book only skimmed upon. More than ever before, Emma had learnt about the tales and lore of not only the Enchanted Forest, but faraway realms and remote lands. The neverending narratives made her feel like a tiny speck of sand in the grand scheme of things, and the words from another hero echoed in her ears. _I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world._

One look at Regina and Henry though, and the inspiring quote lost its meaning; for her, they meant the world and more. This realization came as a subdued shock in what referred to Regina, because she had suspected she _liked-liked_ the brunette as more than friends for a long time but wasn't ready to face the music. Nevertheless, whith every passing day she got readier and readier, as Regina's music followed her everywhere she went. It got to the point that she had to end things with Hook, which she did a mere couple of days after joining Op:M. She had come to the realization that she didn't really see herself with the pirate in the long run, whereas one reformed evil queen always starred prominently in her _once upon a dreams_.

« Where did you go? »

There was that melody again.

« Huh? » The blonde wasn't aware she had drifted away, staring into the horizon.

« Just now. You were lost in thought. » The former queen smirked seductively as she put yet another volume back into its shelf. « Something I wouldn't have thought possible not so long ago. »

And there was the _friendly-albeit-flirty_ banther. Emma's heart soared. Just like that.

« What do you mean by that, I have my moments. » She pondered her words for an instant. « My _philosophical_ moments. You bet I do. » She finished with a wink.

« My, learning new words, aren't we? The time we've spent holed up in this place has apparently paid out. Trying to impress me, Miss Swan? » Something akin to easyness and affection glittered behind Regina's eyes.

« Always. » The Sheriff flashed her her dashing **Saviour Smile (TM)** and ignored the snort that followed. « It seems today is not our day, though. I just finished combing through this Agrabah volume, but found no mention of the Author whatsoever. Guess I'll try with the Camelot ones next. » She stood from the chair she was occupying and approached one of the shelves in order to switch tomes.

« Emma. » Regina approached her and the touch of her fingers was delicate on the blonde's arm. « I know I've been monopolizing your time lately. You have the station to look after, I wouldn't want you to fall behind in paperwork or— »

« We have a myriad of new deputies. » The brunette offered her a playful look that Emma caught immediately. « Yes, another new word. I'm becoming a bookworm. Moving on. » She softly pushed the other woman away in jest. « I am here not out of obligation, but because I _want_ to. So no need to worry about it. » She kept staring straight ahead into the dusty covers lining the shelf, as she was sure she was blushing after basically admitting she wanted to be around the former mayor.

Regina moved closer again, flushing her body against the blonde's in order to rest her chin atop her right shoulder - if only for a millisecond (that made Emma's heart race all the same)-. « Thank you. »

_Get a grip, Swan_. « Thank me when I find the guy. This used to be my job, remember? Tracking people down. Sure as hell ain't gonna fail now. »

« Princess Charming never fails… » The brunette whispered in her ear.

Emma's knees buckled as she swooned and her foot slipped; she became aptly acquainted with the floor of the library, knocking one of the shelves in the proccess, a storybook knocking _her_ in the head in retaliation. « Motherfuck—! »

« … but she sure can take a fall. » Regina laughed as she helped her stand. « Are you all right, dear? That book may have given you a concussion. Let me take a look. »

She had to endure Regina closely inspecting her all over afterwards, and _then_ kissing away a bruise that was starting to show in her forehead. _Sorry, it's what I used to do with Henry, I guess old habits die hard._ Meanwhile Emma felt like falling to the ground again and by the time it was over she was exhausted as she had used all her willpower not to.

« Fucking book… » she grabbed the offending object from the floor. « What...? I can't open it. »

The sorceress quirked an eyebrow. « Let me try », she asked as Emma let the volume fall into her hands. « No title either. Rather irksome, wouldn't you agree? » She left it atop the closest desk, closed her eyes and attempted to open it with a surge of magic, but nothing happened. « Well, consider my curiosity piqued. » She crooked a smile at Emma, who gulped visibly.

« Hey, careful there. This author ought to be a wizard and after Rumplestiltskin I've had my share of— » She grabbed Regina's elbow just as the latter attempted another go at the book; Emma's magic mingled with the brunette's of its own accord, propelling forward into the volume, which fell open with a flash of lightning. « — Wow ».

Regina winked at her. « It might be nice, having a partner after all. » The Sheriff was too shocked to respond, and could only watch as the brunette grabbed the tome and started reading until her eyes bulged out of their sockets. « Emma... this book… »

« What? What is it? »

« … It's about us ».

* * *

><p><em>And so, the Savior loooked at the Queen, affection brimming in her eyes. <em>_**I'm in.**_  
><em><strong>You are?<strong>__ the Sorceress asked._  
><em><strong>I made you a promise I intend to keep. Everyone deserves their happy ending.<strong>__, beamed the Princess, and was met by a warm smile adorning the Queen's features, the kind that was reserved only for Henry and for her._

* * *

><p>« What... what the hell! »<p>

« This... this is… »

« This is **insane**! » Emma shouted. « This book _ships_ us! »

« What do you mean it 'ships' us? Are we on a boat ride and I didn't realize? » The brunette was puzzled and trying to snark her way out of it.

« No, I mean… »

« Are we being sent away? Because no delivery carrier works this town, I made sure of it. »

« No, Regina, it's… »

« There is no other meaning to the word. There must be a dictionary around here, somewhere. »

« Regina! Let me explain! » The blonde huffed, exasperated. « Shipping means supporting a couple. Being _a fan_ of the couple, in other words. »

The sorceress remained appalled. « But, Emma, we're not a couple. » She pointed out.

« Didn't you just call us 'partners'? » The blonde retaliated playfully and continued as Regina blushed. « It doesn't matter that we're not _canon_, 'Gin. People can ship whoever they want. »

« Canon? » Perplexed look again.

Sighing blonde. « Part of the official storyline."

« Emma, don't be silly. We're not a story. » She shook her head, chasing the notion away.

« In this book we kinda are. » She reminded her. « Besides, isn't everyone's life a story waiting to be told? »

The eyeroll that followed could be heard over at Town Square. « I've_got_ to get you out of this library. »

* * *

><p>They reviewed the book in its entirety, starting from the time they met to that last scene with Emma proclaiming her 'in' into Operation Mongoose. The Author described their relationship as full of longing looks, heated stares and whispered moments across time and space, depicting both character growth and a blossoming friendship tinted with <em>something more<em> along the way.

It wasn't even subtext. It was _literally_ engraved in inked words over high grammage paper.

Once they were through, Emma didn't dare move nor utter a sound. She had all but _read_, in the portrayal of her observed demeanor, her inner emotions and secret thoughts; thoughts of being savagely attracted to Regina, thoughts she wouldn't even acknowledge to herself, _scribbled on a god damn book_. Anyone with half a brain would be able to figure it out; and certainly someone as clever and cunning as Miss Mills, who had read it too.

She ventured a glance towards the other woman, who also remained frozen in place, rosy cheeks and heavy-lidded eyes adorning her features. She had to say something, to save face somehow.

« Regina, I— »

« Emma— »

They both spoke at the same time, then blushed some more.

« This guy is messing with us. » Emma began, set on leaving the awkwardness of the moment behind them. « This wasn't written years ago, in some distant kingdom. Whoever is writing this, is doing so now. » She concluded. « That oughta mean the Author is near. »

« I concur. » The former mayor stated, eager to get on the _we're-leaving-this-behind-us_ bandwagon.

A glint appeared in the blonde's eyes. « I say we catch him when he emerges to write on the book. »

« Stop it with the look. » The brunette gave her a lopsided smile.

« What look? » Narrowed eyes surveyed her.

« The one kitties get when they're after a prey. The Author may think you're directing it at me and materialize right now. » Her smile all but grew.

« That wouldn't be so bad… » The blonde gaped. « In fact it is brilliant, Regina! We have to do something romantic in order to make him show himself! », she realized, shooting herself in the foot in the process, as her brain wasn't able to catch up to her big mouth and filter her thoughts. They were off the oblivious bandwagon an into awkward territory again. At least Emma was, because Regina remained in an all-bussiness state of mind.

« Something romantic. Like what? » Inquiry painted the woman's voice.

A kiss. « Huh, I dunno… » A Kiss. « Maybe we could… » Kiss. « Hold hands or… » KISS. « … hug it out or something? »

Emma kicked herself internally. A despicable coward, that she was.

In a swift motion Regina was all up on her personal space, holding her hand and then hugging her closely. Nothing happened (besides Emma's heart stopping to a halt and her thermostat rising a few degrees).

« Didn't work. » commented the brunette, still a mere inches away from Emma's face. « Any other thoughts? »

_KISS._

« Huh... Umm… » The princess fixated on red, supple lips. « Maybe, maybe we should… » _Big, big breath, make it or break it, this is it, this is it_ « … _kiss_ », she murmured so low she wasn't sure Regina would even hear her.

« We should what? » She was still holding her hand. « I didn't get that. »

« Kiss! » She **shouted** instead of _loudly thinking about it_. Her brain shut off in response and she was left standing there, mouth agape, like a deer caught in headlights.

Regina was surprised by the intensity of the Savior's demand and became self-conscious all of a sudden. « You... you think we should… » She focused so intently on Emma's lips that she nearly developped strabismus.

« O-only if that's ok by you. » Good! She had regained the ability to communicate again.

« I guess we could try. » Regina acquiesced, losing herself in the fathomless depths of Emma's gaze. « If only for... the sake of the Operation. »

The blonde had stopped breathing and wasn't even aware of it. « Yeah... for the Mongoose... I mean the Op… »

Emma closed her eyes and felt Regina's breath mixing with her own. For the love of all that is Holy, _it was happening._

« Moms! » **CRASH** « Ma! Are you OK? »

_For fuck's sake_. Time had flown by and the Sheriff had forgotten they were supposed to have lunch with Henry and the Charmings that day. She of course remembered it when she fell to the floor head-first, _again_. And she couldn't hope for Regina to nurse her once more, as she had fled the scene towards David's truck the moment Henry had entered the library.

* * *

><p>« So... That was close. »<p>

« Indeed. How is your head? Want me to heal you again? »

« No need, I managed to do it myself on the road here. »

« Oh. » The brunette looked dissappointed.

« Only because I've had a great teacher. » Emma quipped, satisfied when Regina beamed at her in return. « I brought the book, by the way. It's on the back of the bug. » She hesitated for an instant. « Should we... try again? » she said, glancing nervously at chocolate orbs.

Regina blushed at the speed of lightning. « Emma, we're on the back of the Diner. Anyone could bump into us… »

« Well, if you don't dare do it, then… » The blonde shrugged.

The former queen lifted a brow. « Are you actually trying to dare me into kissing you? »

« Do you have any other plan for catching the elusive writer? » Emma replied but Regina didn't. « Thought so. »

« It's not that I _don't_ want to kiss you. It's just that I don't want to do it _here_. » She pleaded.

The blonde's grin was instantaneous. « So you are saying you _do_ want to kiss me. » She coyly played with a strand of her hair.

**Mills Eyeroll (TM)**. « For the sake of the—! You know what? Nevermind. I'm going back to our table. » The brunette tried to get past her.

« Come on, Gin', wait. » She grabbed her by the elbow, in which had lately become _their_ gesture. « I was just messing with you. I know you wouldn't kiss me of your own volition. » She hoped the disapointment wasn't written on her face. « Let's just… get this over with, ok? »

Emma dove in for a kiss and time slowed down, and as she saw pink lips reaching for hers, Regina felt that it was all wrong, for the blonde was mistaken in looking disappointed and believing that she wouldn't—

« Em, Snow is wondering if you're OK— WOW! Sorry to interrupt! »

One Ruby Lucas observed them with a wolfish grin grazing her lips.

« Ruby! » Emma cried. « This is not what it looks like! »

Meanwhile there was a full on arrythimia inside the brunette's chest. « I'm going back to our table. Miss Lucas. » She summoned up all her poise to non-chalantly greet the waitress on her way out.

Not two seconds after being left alone, Ruby screamed in a girly fashion and drilled Emma with questions. « OH MY GOD Emma, you and Regina? Seriously? WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME YOU SCUMBAG. You don't make out in my Diner without letting me on the know first. » She slapped Emma on the shoulder. « Bad Savior. Bad. » Her grin grew. « The Good & Evil thing is **sexy as hell**, though. Well, to be honest that _woman_ is sexy as hell. » She fanned herself in jest and Emma felt like dying. « And she isn't nearly as evil as she used to. Way to go, Em, you scoundrel! » She punched her in the shoulder, _again_, and the Sheriff gave up trying to explain and sank into mortification instead.

* * *

><p>The unmistakable sound of stiletto heels reverberated through the Station.<p>

« Hello, dear. »

Emma barely glanced from the pile of reports she was currently filling. « Hi. »

Regina took a seat facing the Sheriff's desk.

« Clogged up with work? » The brunette ventured.

« Kinda. » Came the blonde's succint reply.

_This isn't going to be easy_, Regina thought, bracing herself. « Emma… is everything ok? »

« Why? » Her eyes remained glued to her paperwork.

« You haven't been around the last couple of days. »

« Yeah, sort of busy around here. »

« Really? With what? »

« Kitty rescues and Lost Boys pranks and… stuff. »

The sorceress quirked an eyebrow. « And your deputies can't manage that sort of thing? »

« Not as gracefully as I do. I _am_ the Savior after all. » She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, and she avoided the other woman's gaze all through it.

Regina sighed. « Emma, I'm sorry for running out on you when Miss Lucas popped up. I didn't know how to— »

« Don't mention it. » The blonde interrupted her.

« But, Emma, _I have to_. It happened two weeks ago and you all but disappeared since then. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by— »

« Feelings? _Feelings?_ Regina, don't overthink this. It was a plan for the Operation. Nothing more. » The Sheriff noted, suddenly mustering the courage to look her in the eye.

« I know. » She whispered, breaking eye contact. « But either way, will you accept my apology? Can we… » She hesitated. « Can we go back to being friends again? ».

The princess dropped her pencil as her heart broke in two at the vulnerability that poured from the former queen when she spoke. The woman had brought whole kingdoms to its knees, for God's sake, but right then she was the image of frailty, and that hit Emma directly in her _Savior Feels_.

« We haven't stopped being friends. » She asserted, a frown creasing her brow.

« It does feel that way. » The sorceress retorted with a pained expression, that pierced right through Emma's chest.

« I'm sorry. » She began, grabbing Regina's hand to comfort her, and felt a surge of magic traverse through her body as soon as she made contact; if her sudden gasp was anything to go by, the brunette must've felt it too. « I did pull away, I guess. I… I tend to retreat when things get complicated. » She avowed. « I'm sorry. » Her thumb stroke soothing patters on the back of the former mayor's hand.

Regina still looked troubled. « Emma, things between us have always been 'complicated'. Will I always have to worry about you bolting when we have an impasse? » Defeat seeped into her features, and she held onto the blonde's hand tightly.

Emma offered her the tiniest of smiles. « I'll do my best not to. »

And, somehow, the blonde's reassurance was enough.

« Fine. So… Are we ok again? »

The smile grew. « We are. »

Regina chewed on her lower lip.

« Ok enough for you to be willing to try it again? »

« What? » Emma asked in a high-pitched voice.

« The kissing idea. Henry and I haven't got any new leads since that. » Soulful eyes searched for hers. « Would you? Consider it? »

The Savior's heart started beating like she was running an olympic race. « Huh, Regina, but, you, me, we… what, right now? K-kiss? Here? »

« There's no one else here. » The brunette pointed out, leaning over the desk, angling herself closer to the other woman.

« But, but it's the Station, and it's the middle of the day, and, the guys could come back and I don't think we— »

« Emma. » Determined eyes stared back at her. « You couldn't wait to kiss me back at the diner, and now you're hesitating. Are you sure we are ok? » There it was, that vulnerability again, making the blonde sigh.

« I am, Regina. It's just that I don't want to be left high and dry once more. » She admitted, and somehow they weren't talking about a kiss anymore, and something must've clicked inside Regina's head because she approached her slowly and held her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes.

« You won't. I'm sorry. I… »

Was it magic, the whirlwind of energy that pulled her towards the brunette? Or was it something else entirely, lurking behind brown eyes that were closing just an instant before their mouths would meet—

« I'm **done** chasing Lost Boys for the day. **So done**. » Came the abrupt statement of contempt behind a swinging door that preceded Tinkerbelle' entrance. « Oh? Regina, fancy meeting you here. »

The sorceress remained seated across the blonde, all poise and composure. « Hello, Tink. » She saluted, her voice unwavering. Emma, for her part, buried herself in paperwork in order to flee from the stage.

« What brings you down to our Law Enforcement Offices, darling? I hope you're not here to make a complaint about some lost boy 'cause sure as hell **I** am not the one who is going to fix it. »

The brunette actually _chuckled_. « No, not at all, Tink. Just discussing parenting issues with Miss Swan here. » She gestured towards the blonde. « Right, Emma? »

« Yes, yes! It's a parents-thingy. That's all. » She replied, nose deep in her papers.

« Ok… » the fairy looked between the two women, her curiosity piqued. « Emma, are those the pending reports whe had to fill? I think I botched something in the last one I submitted, let me see… »

The Savior realized with terror that she had scribbled Regina's name all over the page without even noticing it. « Uh, you know what? I botched it too, could you re-write it? » She tore up the paper in a thousand pieces and threw it on the garbage bin in a swift motion.

Tink's eyes tore out of her sockets. « Emma what in the world— » The phone rang and cut short her diatribe. « Hello, Sheriff's Dept. Yes. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh, you don't say. Yes, Mr Hopper, we'll send someone right over. You too. Have a nice day. » She pointed to her boss. « Pongo is missing again and I'm sure this is another of the boys' pranks and you owe me for ruining my report so it's your turn. »

Emma huffed. « Ok, ok. » She turned to Regina. « We'll… discuss it later, ok? »

« When? Tonight over dinner? »

She grabbed her keys, holster and jacket. « Uh, sure. »

« Henry and I will be expecting you over at 7, sharp. »

« Ok. And… thank you for not running this time. » She whispered as she pecked her in the cheek in a good-bye gesture, which made Regina slightly blush. « Oops, sorry. » She hurried to the door as she shouted _Bye Tink!_ to her deputy.

No one spoke for a while, as Tink and Regina were engaged in a staring contest until the brunette got fed up with it.

« Well, I shall be going. Bye, Tink. » She tried to keep her composure while walking to the exit.

The fairy side-eyed her on her way out. « A blonde thief who stole from the rich to give to the poor… a former blonde thief who became the Savior to bring the happy endings back… I kinda see it. You certainly do have a type, Reg. » And then it was her turn to chuckle at the eyeroll the Queen awarded her before disappearing from view.

* * *

><p>Following their making-up, Team Moms were unable to <em>do the thing<em>. They were interrupted by - in no particular order - Henry, Charming, Archie - well, Pongo really - , Kathryn and Snow, who was the only one totally oblivious to the whole ordeal. They were a week away from Christmas, the library didn't provide further breakthroughs, and Operation Mongoose stood currently to a halt. The year was ending, there was mistletoe everywhere, for Christ's sake, and they _still_ hadn't managed to kiss.

« That's it. I'm kissing you today and there's no stopping it. » Regina declared as she pushed the blonde into her bedroom, and proceded afterwards to enchant the door, soundproof the walls and conjure a barrier to surround the whole mansion.

« Whoa, whoa! Easy there, tiger. » Emma laughed nervously, swiveling restlessly on her feet and stealing a glance to the wall clock: 17:18. « What if something happens or Henry needs us or a new Villain of the Week™ strikes or…? »

Regina swiped Emma's cell from her jean's backpocket - causing the blonde to blush a deep shade of crimson -, picked her own phone from her purse, put both on vibrate and left them one on top of the other in a cushion over her dressing table. « There. If they cannot leave us alone for five god-damned minutes because something warrants our presence, they'll call and this way it won't startle us. Now let's get this over with. »

The blonde fidgeted shyly. « Gee, some game you have going over there for romance, Mme. Mayor. » She joked.

« I've never needed any _game_, Miss Swan. » The sorceress replied, voice all caramel and velvet, and Emma died a little bit inside as she heard it. « Now, come here. » She took a seat near the foot of the bed and beckoned her to get closer. The blonde, nearly succumbing to panic, followed her lead and approached her.

They contemplated each other for what felt like centuries, Emma nearly shuddering in goosebumps and shallow breaths, until Regina took her hand in hers. « Emma, you look like about to blow a gasket. We don't have to go through with this if it makes you _this_ uncomfortable. »

The Princess had lost her ability to speak, overwhelmed by Regina's presence before her. _She's so beautiful. She's so, so... so much more than that_, she confessed to herself, and could only hold the other woman's gaze in awe while she did so.

Regina fled said gaze sadly. « It's okay. A lot of people would be grossed-out by having to kiss The Evil Queen. »

That jumpstarted Emma into finding her voice again.

« What **on earth** are you talking about? Have you _seen_ yourself in the mirror lately? You're absolutely— » _gorgeous_. « You can't even imagine how much I've— »_dreamt about this moment_. « What you— » _mean to me_.

Actions spoke louder than words, and Emma was so invested in getting her point across that she grabbed Regina by her wrists, pulled her up to sit on her lap, drove both hands through dark locks and mashed their lips together in a searing kiss, swallowing the brunette's gasp in the process.

* * *

><p>It was…<p>

_It was happening._

Emma faltered under the intensity of the moment and fell backwards onto the bed, carrying Regina with her, their kiss unwavering. Somewhere deep in the blonde's mind, the morality beyond kissing the brunette out of a plan instead of out of true honesty started to jab at her, but the initiative to stop was quickly thwarted by the overpowering feeling of Regina reciprocating the kiss, her teeth nibbling on Emma's lower lip, the weight of her body on top of hers, the warmth of her breath mingling with her own. She felt the air being sucked out of her lungs and she suddenly had to inhale, but instead of doing so she - _sort of_ - moaned Regina's name very close to the former queen's left ear, which in turn stirred the latter to resume the kissing with renewed spirits, her tongue tracing a path over the Savior's upper lip and then dipping inside her welcoming mouth, making Emma squirm with pleasure pooling from her lower abdomen. Hands started roaming over expanses of skin and breaths became ragged and kiss after kiss was delivered and Regina had a leg between hers and _God_ she was **unable** to stop moaning. Then Regina did this _thing_ where she kissed/bit/sucked her right over her pulse point and the blonde just _lost it_. In a swift motion she rolled them over and reversed their positions, lying over the sorceress and kissing her feverishly. It was Regina's turn to moan and jerk her hips up unintentionally; the bolt of pleasure that zapped Emma through her spine was so intense that her brain woke up from its Regina-induced-daze and made her realize that it was too much too soon. She rested her forehead against the brunette's, trying to even her breathing and get a grip on herself.

« Do… » The former queen's voice came out several octaves lower from under her. « Do you think it worked? » She asked, all swollen lips, heavy eyelids and disheveled hair.

The princess, for her part, was barely able to breathe, let alone speak. « I… hope so. » She closed her eyes in order to avoid Regina's gaze, fearing she would start kissing her again if she kept looking at her as close as they were. « We should… check the book. »

She forcefully removed herself from atop the brunette, falling next to her on the bed. The peeked at the wall clock again: 17:51. Had she really been making out with the other mother of her son for over half an hour?

Regina stood up and walked over to her dressing table to grab a brush in order to fix her messed-up hair. She glimpsed at Emma through her mirror, and voiced the softest giggle the blonde had ever heard; remarkably, it made her chest tighten with emotion.

« Here », the brunette said, blushing slightly and handing her over a make-up remover wipe. « You have my lipstick smeared all over your face. »

There was a twinkle in her eye when she said it and Emma would've fainted right there if she hadn't been already lying down.

* * *

><p>« Why didn't it work?! »<p>

« Emma, calm down. »

« Don't tell me to calm down. This _stupid_ author and his _stupid book_ and.. Argh! »

They had gone back to the library in the hopes of catching the writer penning down their latest relationship milestone, but found nothing except empty pages after the scene where Emma joined Operation Mongoose.

« From the beginning we knew it was a longshot. » Regina reminded her, leaning her body against a red desk. « You don't need to get so disappointed over it », she added, but looked kind of crestfallen herself.

« No. This has to be wrong. You don't understand. » Emma supplied, suddenly cryptic.

« What don't I understand? »

« That was one hell of a kiss. » More like one hell of a make-out session, really. « It belongs in our storybook. » The blonde pointed out, powering through her blushing cheeks.

« I agree, but... there's nothing else we can do. » The brunette sighed.

Emma was suddenly determined. « There is. Let's do it again. »

« What? »

« Let's kiss again. » The princess was in her personal space in no time, eyes zeroed-in on her lips.

« But… But do you think that's…? » She was looking at Emma's lips then too.

« Regina… » The Sheriff whispered, making the sorceress look up at her. « May I kiss you again? » She asked for her consent, already trapping her against the desk, an arm at each side of her body, both hands clutching mahogany.

« Yes », the former queen barely mumbled, entranced by pink lips once more, and then Emma obliterated the inch left between them and kissed her again, her arms encircling her from the waist, lifting her up from the desk into an tight embrace that took her breath away. Emma held onto her for dear life, and the whole gesture was so soft, so tender, so… _loving_, like a balm for Regina's soul, and it was too much in a different sense than the previous kiss, because she was feeling (and hoping for impossible things) _so much_ she could almost swear she was having a myocardial infarction.

« We… we have to stop, Emma » She pleaded, gasping for air. « My heart… _it hurts_. » She buried her face in the blonde's shoulder, and then her chest hurt some more when she heard Emma chuckle with mirth.

« It hurts good or it hurts bad? » The Savior asked, paving the way for the impossible as she pulled her even closer into her arms. « 'Cause mine always hurts just right when I see you and I… _I can't get enough of it_. »

Butterflies spread through her thorax and the acute MI theory flew out of the window. « Emma, what are you…? » She tried to lift her head up from the crook of the blonde's neck, but the princess kept her in place.

« No. Don't look at me right now, I may… _ravage you_ again. » She breathed, and the butterflies were chased away by her heart doing somersaults.

« Emma… » Regina all but moaned, and the Sheriff shuddered in response.

« You're not making it any easier with that throaty voice of yours. » She acquiesced, releasing Regina to go check on the book again. « Niet. Nada. You stinky good-for-nothing writer. » She lifted her gaze to the ceiling, as if talking to the heavens, and then sat down on another desk, defeat tinting her demeanor.

Regina approached her carefully, her high heels brushing the plushy rug, and then smoothly lifted Emma's chin up ir order to look her in the eye, a move she always used with their son. « To be honest, I'm currently more interested in what you were saying that in the Author turning up. » She admitted, concern oozing out of her in waves.

The gesture tore through the blonde's last barriers. « It's true. » She revealed. « Everything is true. » It reminded her of the time the curse broke, only their roles were reversed this time around, Emma being the one with something to confess. « This No-Show was spot on. I don't know how he did it but he just… _knew_. » She removed her jaw from the brunette's grasp and avoided her gaze, opting to look out of a window instead. Regina mustered all her self-restraint to avoid prodding the blonde to continue, and after a couple of seconds it payed out. « I have feelings for you, Regina. Have from the moment we first met. At first it was this savage attraction » she avowed, burying her face in her hands, trying to wipe the embarassment away, « but then things got really complicated, what with curses and magic and family and more curses and I thought it was over, that I had overgrown it, but then I saw you struggling to become a better person and I started to care, in spite of everything I started to care so deeply, and suddenly I trusted you and I _knew you_ and you kinda tolerated me and everything was going great, until I sorta messed things up with that time-travel gist and you were giving me the silent treatment while I followed you around like a puppy, and Elsa, Elsa of _all people_ gave me pep talks and told me something akin the lines of 'don't give up on the people you love', and she said that and she was referring to you and she _knew_, just like the stinking author, while I had no clue, and everything was so obvious but I hadn't realized yet why I wanted so desperately to be your friend, to have you back in my life, and I kind of had to chase you down for that, you stubborn mule », she stole a glance towards the brunette but then fled her eyes again, « and then… then I joined in on your Operation and you started smiling a lot and I would get this… » she put a hand over her chest, « this stupid warm feeling inside everytime I saw you, growing stronger day after day, and next thing I know, I'm head over heels in love with you, have been for the longest time. » She clenched her jaw, determination setting on her features, her strength coming back to get her to look at Regina straight in the eyes. « But I want you to know I won't let this affect our friendship, nor our parenting situation with Henry, nor anything. »

_She loved her._ _Emma loved her._ _She was in love with her._ The revelation took a hold of Regina's being, filling her with joy. « Emma », she pronounced, looking at the blonde as in in a daze, « What on earth are you talking about? »

The princess remained firm. « My feelings. They won't get in the way, I promise. I'll… manage.» She vowed sadly.

The sorceress quirked a brow, bereft of its usual sarcasm as she was too elated to feel anything else. « You are so obtuse, darling. Guess the Charming genes outrun the Savioury ones there. » Emma looked more confused than ever and so Regina plodded ahead. « The story made clear my true feelings for you too. Didn't you… get it? While we were reading through it? All the smiles that were just for you and the shuddering hearts and… Emma! Really? » She smiled, a flame Emma had never been privy to before lighting her eyes.

« You, you mean you— » The look of hope in the blonde's features was so all-encompassing that Regina was unable to resist and interrupted her shy retort with a definite _I do_ while inching forward to kiss her again, both hands holding her partner's cheeks, pouring all her love into the gesture. « Oh, thank God, I would never have been able to manage. » Emma sighed in relief, making Regina chuckle in delight and pulling her onto her lap in order to bringing their lips together once more.

And then…

A multicoloured wave of energy burst away from them, reaching all over Storybrooke, and the storybook blazed alive and the pages started fluttering one after the other in the air, words inking all of their remaining story up to that point; words that Emma and Regina would only much later read, lost in each other as they then were.

* * *

><p><em> And so, with True Love's Kiss, The Savior and The Queen found together their Happy Ending in each other at last. On their journey they had come to learn that Love is something that is not just bestowed upon us like it usually happens in fairytales, but something worth fighting for everyday of our lives. Soon they would come to discover it wasn't an Ending what they were after at all in the first place, but a Happy Beginning instead.<em>

_The End_

* * *

><strong>Notes<strong>

Six thousand words! WOW. Long for a fix.

First of all, I want to thank you for reading and for the wonderful follows, favorites and reviews you've been throwing my way. It really puts a spring in my step. _Thank you!_

Second of all, storywise, I have to acknowledge Regina came off _way_ more flirty that I intended her too. I cannot control her. Not sure anyone can, honestly (now that she's free of her mother and Rumple).

And finally, this is the last installment of the SQ Fixes for this season (I still have to get around writing the fix for 4x05, but seriously, with al the SQ Goodness going on there I'm not sure there is much to fix either way), and so I want to wish you all a Merry, Merry Christmas (or whatever sort of celebration you prefer at this time of the year, I'm not aiming at being _Christnormative_ considering I'm not even a Christian myself) and encourage you to not lose hope on these two characters. I don't know if all of you know **The Legend of Korra**, but that awesome story just ended with the heroine romantically paired up with her best friend, in a bold move for a « kids » television show. As a fellow fan put it: « Korra showed us that it's true what they say: the hero always gets the girl in the end. » I'm looking forward for Once to follow their lead and let our hero and anti-hero-turned-hero get each other in the end.

PS: As for the Author's identity… that one is up for grabs, but I rather enjoy my headcanon of Walt Disney himself penning it down on a lazy sunday afternoon at one of his parks, circa 1960.


End file.
